


adventure is just an excuse for fun [haikyuu!various x fem!reader]

by Amizore



Category: Haikyuu!!, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Coming of Age, F/M, Fluff, Hogwarts AU, Mild Language, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, definitely not a dumpster fire, please forgive my grammar, silly silly adventures, the older i get the worse my spelling becomes yikes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 44,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26181979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amizore/pseuds/Amizore
Summary: Oh, you were gonna skin their little sheep hearts alive.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Reader, Aone Takanobu/Reader, Miya Atsumu/Reader, Miya Osamu/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Ushijima Wakatoshi/Reader
Comments: 29
Kudos: 82





	1. Egg of Hearts

You stare at the letter. The letter stares back at you. If the envelope had a mouth, you are certain that it would have been screaming for you to open it. The stamp looks like it has been pressed with blood, and you don't want to risk getting cooties from a letter that has been delivered by a giant, pompous bird. So you retrieve a butter knife from the kitchen and tear it open. You carefully unfold the parchment paper and struggle to read the looping notes of cursive. You hadn't paid enough attention to those writing lessons back in second grade and now you are paying for it. You finish reading the letter, and try to make sense of it all.

Huh. 

A magic school. Unrelated images of Shugo Chara and Fushigiboshi no Futagohime play in your head. Maybe it was a school that taught you how to unleash your magic pendant, transform you into a prima donna, and teach you to use dance to bring back the heart shards of some lonely prince with sad, sad eyes. 

You unlock your ipad, searching for the said school. There are no exciting results save for the enchanting images of hogs covered with gigantic warts. You shiver at the unsettling sight, mortified of the thought of using magic to cure pig pimples. The front door clicks, and you look up. 

"[F/N], I'm homeee-oh." Your father stops mid sentence, something that seemed like realization dawning on his face. You watch him set down his suitcase and change into slippers in the entryway. 

"Dad, a magic school wrote to me." You start, eyes wide with brimming curiosity and wonder.  
He seems to think carefully, collecting his words. "About that, sweetie. I meant to tell you earlier but I kept putting that off. Your mother was a witch."

You gasp in horror. "Rude."

"No, not like that." He tries to explain, "Your mom… Your mom possessed magic - and so do you. Remember those weird little telekinetic experiences you had?" 

You think for a moment about the self-writing chalkboard and the fire extinguisher. "Mm-hmm."

"That was you performing magic."

"Oh." 

That afternoon, your dad goes on to explain in detail that your mother was in fact not a private investigator that had died in a car crash, but an auror (a wizard cop, basically) who had fought bravely in the second wizarding war. You litter him with questions about a world that promises magic and even more questions about your mother. You like the fact that she was a warrior who battled badasses, and you miss the fact that you will never be able to meet her. Your eleven year old self is being bombarded with newfound knowledge, and you eat it all up like it is gold. Your dad promises to take you to Diagon Alley the next day for your school supplies. You are brimming with fistfuls of excitement as you skip your merry way to the park that evening.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"I'm going to a magic school," you proudly inform Aone as you bump the ball back and forth to each other. "I'm a witch!"

He blinks, not quite sure if you were joking or not as he passes the ball to you. 

"I'll be going in September - I hope they have a good volleyball team there." 

The toss you give him flies past his arms and hits him in the face. You are serious. He slowly picks up the ball, staring at a picture of a duck that you had doodled on the worn leather last year. He walks to the nearby willow tree and sits down. You pick up his worry immediately, ambling over to him and crouching beside him. Without missing a beat, he pulls you into a bear hug. 

"I'll miss you too, Taka," you say softly, patting his back. "I'll come visit during the breaks. You better master your serves by then," you tease him. He only tightens his hold around you, still a tad stunned at the sudden fast ball life had thrown at him. He wants to reach up with his arms, brace his fingers for the impact, to block the obstruction with all his might - but his puny electric fence isn't strong enough against the willpower of fate.

The fact is inevitable. You are going far away to the highlands of Scotland, miles and miles stretched out between there and here in Little Whinging. The two of you were supposed to forage through the last year of primary school together, continuing on the adventures in the park and the late nights catching all sorts of bugs. He wants so badly to come along with you. 

"I'll write letters!" you promise Aone. "I'll write millions of them, so you better upgrade that dingy mailbox of yours." 

He nods fervently at this. It is the end of July, and he wants to enjoy the last month of summer with you as much as he could before you went to a place farther than the universe.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

You are too excited to sleep that night. You’ve spent hours daydreaming of unlocking your egg of hearts and prancing through a field of unicorns stuck in ever rotating stairwells. By the time you are finally slipping into the veils of sleep, the sunlight crudely pierces through your eyelids, bringing you to a rude awakening. You fall off your bed, eyes still closed as you feel around for your slippers. You don't want to rub off the last droplets of sleep, but you can’t find your things very well in limping zombie mode. So you reluctantly open your eyes, and your heart nearly jumps out of your chest at the sight of your younger brother, Lucas, donned in a less than glorious mud mask.

"You're too young to worry about your skincare!" you sputter, ushering him out of the bathroom, the door slamming loudly behind you. 

"Coming from the person who refuses to put on chapstick!" His remark comes muffled, and you ignore it. There is a whole day of exploring ahead of you, and you won’t let your brother's crude remarks put you off your A-game.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"We're leaving at four, so make sure you get everything."

"But dadddd, that's barely enough time!" you huff as your father taps on random bricks behind an ominous bar. Is it Morse code? You narrow your eyes.

"I have work after this, kiddo. Don't start - you very well know your struggle with finding your way back home from school so don't try to convince me that you'll be able to make your way back from here." 

You close your mouth, defeat sinking deep into your bones, but it is quickly lost when the bricks start churning this way and that, rotating like cogs to slowly form an entrance. Your mouth pops open again, this time in awe as you take in the bustling scene before you. People wearing long robes and odd hats walk by, reminding you of those rainbow parachute plays from kindergarten. Some of them hold sticks. It doesn't take half a genius to know that they are carrying wands, and you long to yield one. 

"We have to make a stop at the bank first, sweetie," your dad says as you follow behind him, all sorts of shops stealing your attention. "Mum left a bank account for you...the money they have here are..." He rambles on, and you completely blank out as you pass a beauty salon. There is a scissor snipping a woman's hair, no hands attached. It is as if the inanimate object is alive. Your feet carry you on to a display window full of owls of different colors and sizes in large cages. You want to go in and free all of them. Tame an owl army to stalk all your enemies. Bats hang upside down on store signs and vendors urge passerby to try their products. 

"That's the Rolling Thunder!"  
"It's the fastest broom ever made!"  
You pass a gaggle of children, tiny red noses pressed against the fogging glass. A furnished black broom catches your gaze, and you stare at the thunder sigil etched on the handle. You are going to get that broom and a black cat the moment you get your hands on that cash.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

Gringotts slightly resembles the leaning tower of Piza, its tall, towering structure leaning slightly to the right. Columns shrug the burden on their shoulders, and you gingerly step into the building behind your father. Rows and rows of tiny creatures - goblins, your dad informs you - line up the hallway. You shrink back as the receptionist scrutinizes you, his face in a permanent scowl. Maybe if they find a hobby - like painting, they won’t look so miserable. The goblin leads you underground, and you nearly pass out from motion sickness the ride down. You swallow down the rising bile, and eagerly hop out once the rickety cart comes to a wobbly halt. As soon as the money is in hand, you immediately dash out, your father ambling behind you, trying to explain the currency and warning you to not spend it all.

Dad goes to buy your book supplies, and allows you to look around for a bit. You promise to meet him at the fountain in half an hour. This little magical bubble is calling you to explore each and every crevice, and you accepted its quest eagerly.

The broom is too expensive. 

You walk out of Quality Quidditch supplies, dismayed but not discouraged. The patron had said that there are flying lessons at Hogwarts, and you are provided a school broom for them. Flying lessons! You quickly hop over to the Pet Emporium in an eager search to find your familiar - preferably a black feline with a moon sigil engraved on their forehead. 

"Akira-san, there are no black cats with crescents tattooed on their heads here," the boy named Akaashi informs you for the third time. "Or anywhere." 

With a mere twelve words, your hopes are shattered into a billion pieces by a stranger you have just met in a magical pet store. 

"There are other cats, however, along with an assortment of toads and owls." His small mouth sits at a slight frown, his expression flat. 

"Toads?" You wrinkle your eyebrows. You were not particularly fond of them. Especially not after you once found one casually sitting beside your shampoo as you showered. You had thought it was a weirdly shaped lump at first, but the moment you had touched it, it had croaked. You had screamed at the perverted toad, who you had later dubbed Jiraiya. 

"They have a frog choir at Hogwarts."  
"Seriously?" You blanch.  
"Yes, the choir students hold them as they sing together."  
You stare at him as if he has grown an extra head. "Well that dashes my dreams of becoming a singer."  
"Don't give up on your dreams that easily."  
As smart as he was, Akaashi Keiji doesn't seem to pick up on sarcasm, it seems. The boy guides you around the store, showing you all the different types of birds they have.

Eventually, you settle on an eagle owl. It is those wispy, tufty eyebrows that resembled cute little wings that draw you in, and it is those large, inquisitive yellow eyes that ultimately win over your heart. His coat is a light brown color, black feathers scattering his chest and wings. Akaashi tells you that they were also known as Bubo bubo, and you ask him if it was short for the Bubonic plague. He only stares at you blankly. 

"What are you going to name him?" Akaashi asks.  
"Keiji," you say after a heartbeat. "Kei for short." And you leave Akaashi standing there, feeling slightly off-balanced and confused. 

Akaashi is not sure if he should be flattered or unsettled that a strange girl off the street had blatantly named her owl after him as if it was a declaration of victory. Akaashi frowns. She is odd. Intriguing even.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

You arrive a few minutes late at the rendezvous point at the fountain, a cage in one hand. You lie and tell your dad it was the traffic, but in truth, you’d lost touch of time in that pet store. Your father lets your tardiness go, too fascinated by the sight of the owl.

"His name is Keiji," you proudly tell him. "I'm going to train him to talk!" 

"Go for it." Your dad encourages. "I have all your supplies." He indicates at the bag full of books in his grip. "Let's get you your wand and your robes fitted."

Your eyes immediately light up at the prospect. "Let's go, go, go!" You practically skip your way to Ollivander's, eyes widening at the rows and rows of boxes lined before you. If you didn’t known any better, you would mistake the place for a shoe shop. 

"Go on," Your dad says. "I'll get us ice cream."

The door chimes as you step into the store. The clerk looks up and smiles at you kindly. "Hello, young lady. I've been expecting you." The frail old man who has to be at least 230 years old greets you like he is some sort of misty-eyed fortune teller.

"Tell me of my destiny, fortune teller-san," you say breathlessly. 

"Ollivander will do. Now, come this way. I have a few ideas of which wands would be attracted to you..."  
He begins speaking of different types of woods, creatures, and lengths. You watch him as he compiles a tall stack of wands. He urges for you to try them out. 

The first one lights the poor grandpa's hair on fire. The second manages to burn off his eyebrows. You apologize, trying your best to hide your burning awe and amusement. Ollivander simply shakes it off, handing you one wand after the other. You suspect that he is used to being exposed to wand hazards. No wonder he looks two centuries old. 

It takes sixteen attempts and five explosions until you find the perfect wand. Or rather, 'The wand has chosen you', the wandmaker corrects. There’s a warm gale of wind the instant you hold it, and that is the moment you know. The wand knows. The wand knows and has been waiting forever for its owner as it collected dust on the highest shelf of the store. 

"Ah, dragon heartstring, ebony, eleven-and-a-half inches. What an interesting combination."

"What do they stand for?" you ask. 

"Good question, young lady! Dragon cores produce wands with the most power, and are capable of the most flamboyant spells. However, it is the most prone to accidents, as they are quite temperamental. It is also the wand core that is most likely to turn into the dark arts - not that I'm assuming that you will." He pauses a second too long. "Now, ebony prefers to be in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves, holding fast to their master's beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose. A temperamental wand core and a faithful wood - I wonder how it will all unfold." You have a small suspicion that he already knows as he repackages the wand before handing it to you. 

You eagerly tell your father all about the wind fitting while lapping up your half-melted ice cream on your way to Madam Malkin's. He listens attentively and reminds you to be careful when casting spells. You wave him off, saying he is making too big of a deal. Sure, it is a temperamental core. Sure, it clashes with the ebony. But you'll be careful. You will soon learn that accidents will always happen anyway, regardless of whether you are being careful or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> princess tutu reference, anyone? 
> 
> i read up on all the wand cores + woods and i kinda wanna do a hc with all the characters and their wand types, but that would be way too extenuating. I'll probably do some of them during the duration of this story. 
> 
> also, the toad in the shower thing was a sudden reminder of my middle school years. i wonder how the toad even managed to get up there? (Can't ever forget how jiraiya announced to naruto - 'I'm not a perv! I'm a mega perv!)
> 
> Oh and by the way, if there's any scenarios that you would like to see (ie going into the Room of Requirement, being polyjuiced, etc) feel free to leave it in the comments with whatever else you have to say. I'm very open to critiques as well.
> 
> \--  
> image is from deviantart, but I'm not sure who the artist is. you if know, let me know


	2. Estival

The first accident is a happy one. 

"Iwaizumi!"  
"[Y/N]-san!"

Your eyes lit up the moment you saw your classmate - you hadn't been expecting to see a familiar face. You wave at him eagerly. Iwaizumi waves back.  
"Don't move, love! Stay still for me, and I'll be out of your hair soon." The squat woman who was fitting Zumi's robes gently says. Iwaizumi immediately reverts back into scarecrow mode, arms stiffly stretched out in a 'T' shape. The lady, wearing the tape measurement like a scarf, turns to you. "I'll be right there, dear! After I finish fitting this little boy's robes, it'll be your turn."  
Iwaizumi's face turns tomato. You snicker. You hear someone else snicker. 

"Look, Iwa-chan's all embarrassed. What a cute little baby~" A sickly sweet voice drifts into the corner of your ear, and you whip around to see another boy leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one foot pressing up against the wall. You wonder why you hadn't seen him earlier since he screamed loud with his unruly brown hair and mischievous doe eyes. The boy smiles a slanted smile at you, and you take it as a leer. 

"Hi." He says.  
"Hi." You repeat suspiciously.  
"That's Oikawa Tooru. He's my number one pain in the butt."  
Oikawa feigned hurt. "Iwa-chan, that's not nice!" He pouts, "Don't take away my self-intro!" The doe eyed boy then turns back to you, and smiles -leers- again. "I'm Oikawa Tooru, The Great Keeper."  
"Of what?" You ask, unimpressed. "Secrets? Lost things? Stars? Don't leave me hanging."  
"Obviously of Quidditch, err-"  
"[Y/N] Akira." You supplement. "You can just call me [Y/N]."  
"Well, [Y/N]-chan, I'm gonna be the Quidditch captain!" 

You blink. Your dad had very briefly mentioned Quidditch during the lengthy seminar the day before, and all you recall was that it was something about a sport on brooms. You wonder if volleyball could be played on brooms, but it would be pretty pointless. Volleyball was great because of feet racing, people jumping, hands setting, spiking, blocking.

"No first year gets in as a captain, Stupid-kawa." Iwaizumi remarks, his arms shaking from having held them up for so long. "Anyway, Oikawa occasionally comes over to visit with his dad. His parents are my parent's friends. We play quidditch together."  
You felt a tad betrayed. All those years of having playdates with him, he had never informed you about anything related to magic. Was he even your friend? "You never told me about you being a wizard."  
"I wanted to, but mum says I'll get sent into an asylum or a research lab if I did."  
"..." Yikes. You had told Aone, but as long as he didn't tell anyone, it would be fine, right? 

After Madame Malkin finishes Zumi's robe fitting, it was finally your turn to stand in scarecrow mode. You braved it like a soldier, ignoring the little pricks of the needle against fabric as Oikawa and Iwaizumi regale you in their tales of quidditch games and their adventures. You wanted in. They promise you that they'll teach you the way of the Quidditch once they get to Hogwarts. You purchase your robes and exit the store with the two boys bickering behind you.

"That's my dad." You point to your father. Your dad nods. "And that's my owl, Keiji. You can call him Kei for short." Kei screeches in greeting, flapping his wings and snapping his beaks. The cage rattles, and Oikawa jumps back, hiding behind Iwaizumi. "Your owl is mean, [Y/N]-chan! He glared at me!" Oikawa whines. You stare at Kei. Kei stares back at you, his innocent eyes unwavering. You place your hands on your hips. "Keiji's my familiar. He protects me from leering fish-eyed bums like you." 

"I have the eyes of a doe!" He insists. "Iwa-chan, [Y/N]-chan's being mean to me!"  
You and Zumi exchange knowing looks. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

You sent in your acceptance letter the day right before the deadline. It had taken a while for you to train Keiji to deliver a letter, because there wasn't exactly a guidebook for 'How to Train Your Owl 101' anywhere on Haikyzon. Ultimately, you had rang up Iwaizumi, pleading for him to help a badass-in-training in distress. All he did was place the letter in Kei's beak, pat him, and he was off. "Oh." You had said.  
"Yeah." Iwaizumi had replied. 

The following week after Keiji had come back, you had tried to teach him how to talk. During breakfast, you sat him on the table, playing videos of talking parrots for him. Keiji only cocked his head, raising his wing-feathered eyebrows at you. Owls were supposed to have endless wisdom, and you were determined to stretch out that string of intelligence over the course of your time with him. In the afternoons, you spend as much time as you can savoring the last bit of mundane muggle life you had left before you embarked on your thundering voyage across the sea to Hogwarts. ("Don't be so dramatic. We're riding a train." Iwaizumi had said.) 

August was spent meeting up with Taka as much as you could. Often, it was spent in the backyard of his house, passing volleyballs to and fro. Sometimes, Kenji and Obara would come over to play 2v2 matches in the afternoon. In the evenings, you had volleyball practice. The big match against a rival school, Kitagawa, was coming up the last week of August. At night, you sat in bed, poring over your shiny new textbooks. You particularly enjoyed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. The article about the Fwooper was particularly interesting, and you wonder if you could sing a song of your own that could drive someone to insanity. You take pictures of the moving illustrations and send them to Aone, like the model witch you were. He promises not to tell a soul. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

The day before the match, your best friend comes over for a sleepover. Felicity practically struts into your room waving a thick book in her hand.  
"Isn't Harry just so hot?" Felicity coos, practically shoving the album in your face. "And Louis's eyes! I could melt into a puddle before them!" She points to another long haired man with visible stubble growing along his jawline. Your friend turns to the back of the front cover of the album and pulls out a CD. She waggles her eyebrows. You let her play One Direction as she pulled out her nail kit.  
"What color do you want?"  
"Transparent."  
"Don't be so boring! I want those sad nails of yours to POP!" She exclaims, digging around for colors. "How about teal? For school colors and all."  
"Okay." You say warily. "Work your magic."  
Felicity gives an approving grin, telling you to lay your hands flat on the table. She unscrews the container, and your nose wrinkles at the pungent smell. Your father had once told you that the dye contained toxic chemicals, and you didn't quite believe him until now. You wondered if Felicity was secretly trying to poison you. But you give her the benefit of doubt because she was your best friend. 

"So, what're the colors for the Amish school that you're going to?"  
"It's a school in the mountains." You correct her.  
"It's pretty much the same since they don't have wifi. I mean, I won't even be able to text you anymore!"  
You shrug. "It's the cruel fate of life, my dude. Blue, red, green, and yellow."  
"Quite colorful for a school up in the mountains, don't you think?"  
"I guess."  
"There, done!" Felicity steps back, admiring her handiwork. "Now we wait for it to dry, and in comes the nail strengthener and stickers!"  
"Stickers?" You stare at her in horror. Felicity only smiles wider. 

An hour later, after the pedicure had been completed and the mess cleaned up, the two of you lay on your bed. The ceiling glows green with plastic stars. You try to make out constellations, but all you see is a clutter of dots. You felt a bit lost. How could you traverse the galaxy if you couldn't even trace each star? How could you traverse Hogwarts if you couldn't have your GPS guide you? You lay there in curious silence, too awake to sleep. 

"So." Felicity starts. "Aone-san."  
"Random, much?"  
"Absolutely not! I just needed to voice my opinions before you are taken deep into the Sagiri mountains by a group of Hashiras, never to come back."  
"Wow okay." I relent. "Go on."  
"..."  
"What?"  
"You're kinda hopeless, you know."  
"What does that have to do have Taka-"  
"See, you even call him by his first name!"  
"Well, duh. I call you by your first name too, don't I?"  
Felicity shifts to face you, the serious expression on her face scaring you a bit. "Haven't you seen the googly eyes he makes at you in math class?"  
"Calm down, homie. He always has big bear eyes. Besides, we're eleven. Save your boy craziness for high school, at least."  
"Girl, you cray cray."  
You shoot Felicity a glare.  
She sighs. "Fine, fine. I'm just saying. But like...have you seen Kageyama-san from Kitagawa? He's so adorable with his resting jerkface.”  
“Kags is hopeless.”  
“[Y/N], you know him?! Introduce meeee.”  
“No. Do it yourself.”  
“...Do you think I have a chance? Tell me I have a chance! Oh, I can see it so clearly! Two students from rival schools falling in love, it’ll be like, Romeo and Juliet! Except we’ll get a happy ending…” 

Felicity slowly tires you out from her chatter, and you admit that you're grateful that she had, because sleep slowly lulls you in her arms. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Thanks for having us!" You shout in unison with your teammates as your team and the rival team bow to each other. You get into position in the back row, dropping your knees low and your arms spread out wide. Number One is etched on your back. You're one of the wing spikers, but you also take pride in your defense. On the other hand, you were crap at serving and blocking. "Ball!" You declare, as your forearms make contact with the Mikasa. The setter reaches for it, signaling for Sam. It's a dump. The crowd behind you cheers. The points go back and forth between the schools, and ultimately you end up winning the first set, then losing the second. Your sneakers slide against the sleek floor, running, jumping, serving. "OUT!" Your cheeks burn red. Shouts of 'Don't mind!' clamor in your ear. You hated the pressure of serving, and you hated missing the line. The score read. 24-23.

You rotate to the front. 

The opponent team serves, and the team captain, Isa, receives it. Polly sets the ball, and you run. You jump, and the ball flies past your arm. You did the only thing that you could do. You lean your head back, hold your breath, and ram the ball forwards with your head. The ball passes over the two blockers, and you crave for the sound of the ball thudding. 

Instead, you hear a body thudding to the ground. 

All you feel is ringing in your head when you come to consciousness. How long were you out? A few minutes or a few seconds? You feel two bodies on either side of you, helping you stand up. You awkwardly pat their shoulders, squirming in their grip.  
"You stupid tryhard." A voice scolds. It's Sam the wing spiker. You wince at the insult, but you notice that Captain Isa is grinning. In a daze, you grin back. "Did we win?" You ask.

Isa winks. "We did, Miss not-so-hard-headed-after-all-san."

"TAKA!" You shout, practically sprinting down the hallway. "We won!"  
He nods, a faint smile on his lips. His one arm pats you aggressively on the back, the other holding onto the strap of his sports bag. He gently taps your forehead, eyes clouding with concern. You smile at him. "I'm fine, the pain is all gone now. I just got caught up in the moment. Shall we go to the park?" 

The two of you sit in comfortable silence atop of the hill, looking across the river to watch the sun blend into hues of pink and blue. There is a soft tap on your shoulder.  
"..?" You watch him as he rummages through his sports bag. Slowly, he pulls out a stuffed animal. He points at his chest, and then to yours, before placing the white polar bear in your hands. The bear is wearing the white and teal jersey of Dateko First. You turn him around, and sure enough, the number ‘1’ is etched on the back, embroidered with Aone's name.  
"He's adorable." You whisper, playing with the hems of the tiny shirt. "I'll name him Taka, because he looks just like you."  
A sheen of red blushes his cheek, as he mimed holding a needle and making sewing motions. His eyes were wide and his lips were pulled in a tight line. His cheeks contrast with the paleness of his skin. A warm feeling drapes around you like a blanket as you imagine Taka hunched over, a tiny teddy bear in his giant hands, working a needle through the white fur. "Thanks, Taka." You pull him into a tight hug.  
"Have lots of fun for me, [Y/N]-san." His voice is all but a low grumble, and you hum in reply.  
"I'll tell you everything." You promise. "I'll send you lots of souvenirs."  
"Bet." 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Paints? Check. Stationary? Check. A million envelopes? Well you were sure you could learn some duplication charm to make that possible. You pack up the last of your stuff in the suitcase, gently tucking in your art journal, volleyball, and Taka's goodbye present into the bag. You text all your friends one last time before taking one last look at your room and heading out. You felt like a college student moving into campus, all grown up and ready to be an independent woman. . 

Platform 9¾, Platform 9¾, where was it? 

You stare helplessly between Platform 9 and Platform 8, but there was nothing in between. If you couldn't even find the right station, what good were you? When in doubt, one must ask. You wave to the nearby conductor. The bloke downright looks like he had been tossed in the laundry for too many rounds. His skin was pale and his eyes baggy. "Look kiddo, there ain’t no platform nine and three quarters. Yer literally the 700th kid to ask me that today!"  
"But sir," You say, waving the letter in your hand. "It says right here in the envelope. A bird gave it to me!" You try to reason with him. The conductor merely shakes his head and walks away. 

"It's your fault that we were late today, Baka-kawa!"  
"You spent thirty minutes fixing the mop that you call hair in the bathroom."  
"Don't be jealous of my hair, Iwa-chan! It's embarrassing!”  
“Whiny-kawa.”  
“Hmph! Oh look! It's [Y/N]-chan!" 

You wave at them helplessly. 

"Honestly, why don't they just explain where to find it in the letter?" You complain. " It would have saved students like me and conductors like mister 700 lots of pain."  
"They probably wanted to add an ominous effect." Kenma, the boy you had just met on the train, says dryly. He doesn't look up from his sudoku puzzle and he still can't believe that he couldn't play his Nintendo games in the Wizarding World. That translated to seven years of game chastity minus the summer and winter breaks. He couldn't bear the thought of it. His school bag felt empty without the weight of his Switch. Kenma didn't quite understand how you weren't as affected as he was.  
"There's magic, Kenma!" You explain. "Unicorns and dragons literally exist! Live a little bit more."  
"I am living." He says, as he finishes yet another column.  
"Are we so boring that you'd prefer that silly book over us, Kozume-chan?" Oikawa quips. "You're so mean."  
"Leave him alone, Shitty-kawa."  
"Hmph, you just want to hog all my attention to yourself, Iwa-chan." 

"Anything from the trolley? Anything from the trolley?" A cart full of strange, colorful sweets slide past the compartment, and Oikawa immediately lights up. An elderly witch slides open the door. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"  
"Do you guys want anything?" Iwaizumi asks.  
"No." You and Kenma say in unison.  
"Fine, I'll pick for you all then." Oikawa stands up to face the vendor. "Four chocolate frogs, four choco-locos, and a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, please." The trolley lady is bedazzled by his toothy smile, and quickly gathers the sweets. "Here you are dear."  
"Thank you, ma'am." He says as he hands over the money. Three pairs of eyes stare at him in awe. So Oikawa had been taught manners.

Your generous benefactor hands out the candy, and you stare at the purple pentagon. You unwrap it, and open the flap. A chocolate frog immediately hops out of the window before you could even blink. Fine, you didn't want to eat a squirming frog anyway.  
"You have to catch them really fast, [Y/N]-chan. Watch." Oikawa shreds the wrapper, before grabbing his wand. His tongue pokes out from the corner of his mouth as he carefully focuses on the box. The flap opens. Oikawa swings his wand down as if it were a knife, mercilessly stabbing the chocolate frog. "See?" He raises his wand up proudly. It is still moving.  
"You’re uncultured." Zumi remarks. Oikawa makes a face. "It's the cards that matter anyway. Who did you get?"  
You squint down at the frowning old man with a large brown smear on his shirt and face. "Al..Alberic. Gruuu-nion." The weird name sounds foreign on your tongue. "Is..is this poop?"  
"Yep! The legendary Alberic Grunnion invented the dungbomb! I'll show you how to set them off sometime."  
"Don't." Iwaizumi warns.  
"What did you get, Kenma?"  
The black haired boy stares at his card. "Rowena Ravenclaw."  
"That's not fair! I got Thaddeus Thurkell for the 7th time!" Oikawa moans.  
Iwaizumi smirks, and Kenma raises his head in interest. You scoot over to look at Oikawa’s card - a grumpy man with seven hedgehogs scowls back at you. "I'll trade you." You say.  
"Seriously? You'd do that for me?" Oikawa has stupidly hopeful doe eyes. You shrug.

"I'd prefer hedgehogs over poop any day."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Thaddeus Thurkell was a wizard that gave birth to seven squibs and turned them all into hedgehogs. 
> 
> i was also going to mention that when aone was miming sewing, reader-chan sees something dark on his nails, and she quickly realizes it's teal nail polish. i didn't want to ruin the mood, so I didn't add it. any guesses on who painted his nails? 
> 
> also - any guesses as to which house you'll be sorted into?  
> i'm quite curious, so comment down below :P


	3. Inauguration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before we start:: any guesses on which house you'll be sorted into? what house are you in?? I'm quite curious so be sure to comment down below~  
> as for myself, i'm a diehard slytherin.

You lose the three of them in the crowd the moment the train arrives at its destination. You really don't know how. One moment the four of you were being herded like sheep by a giant, hairy man wielding a lantern, and the next, your companions had melded into the black camouflage of the school robes. Whatever. They were going to show up eventually. The large man leads you and your fellow first years to an enormous lake, where hundreds of tiny boats were docked at shore. 

"Arigh' firs' yers! Tis Hogwart's tradition for yer newbies to make passage via the boats. Group up into fers!" His voice booms over the overcast skies, shaking the very ground that you stood on. Great. You had to ask strangers if they wanted to share their journey with you. You could feel swarms of people hurriedly forming little groups as you looked around hopelessly. You hated crowds and you felt seasick already. 

"Ask her you wimp."  
"Or do ya want me to ask for you, 'Tsumu?" 

There's an arm wrapped around your shoulder and a face pokes dangerously close to yours. You immediately tense, and whip your head towards the intruder. He has half-lidded eyes, ebony hair swept to the right. The boy wears a casual smirk as he leans in closer to you. He blinks. You blink.  
"Hey, wanna join us?"  
_What a bad case of tuna breath._  
You flush in embarrassment as you realise that you had blurted the sentiment out loud, as there is unmistakable snickering from the two other boys. Tuna boy pulls away from you, glaring. "Tuna is food for the soul. Don’t ya know? Now that ya insulted me, ya can't refuse."  
"What bullshit logic." The boy with his hair parted in the middle retorts.  
"Told ya you can't get the girls with yer stinky fish breath." The other says. He closely resembled tuna boy, save for his hair that was parted to the left.  
"I want to sit in the front." 

The water was calm as the boat glided over its surface. The lamp sits on your lap, glowing bright against the black that engulfed your vision. Hogwarts is just ahead, and you are amazed at how grandiose it appeared, as if it was something out of a medieval fairytale. unfortunately, you are too dizzy to properly enjoy the view. You are not used to the constant swaying of the vehicle that is being powered by the very aggravating Miya twins.  
"Yer rowing the wrong way, idiot." Osamu says to Atsumu.  
"And yer rowing is out of sync with mine, ya slow trash."  
You swivel your head to glare at them. "I will feed you to the giant squid if you guys don't stop bickering. We are literally dead last."  
Atsumu laughs right in your face. You plug your nose, but he doesn't seem to take offense. "What makes ya think ya can do that? Yer not an Ika God."  
You huff. "Watch me."  
"What? Are you sayin' that ya can row better than me?"  
"No. But I can do this." You patted the side of the rowboat. Immediately, the boat stops into a shaky halt, before propelling forward at an alarmingly high speed. Suna sees thick spurts of ink mix with the dark blue of the water. And then he notices the gigantic fins protruding the surface of the water. "..How?"  
"I'm a mystery wrapped in an enigma." You parry. "Inky will capsize any boat I want for me, isn't that right?"  
The giant squid nods. 

Word reaches fast in the Great Hall. 

"Have you heard?" Second year Reon Oohira asks Daichi Sawamura.  
The Gryffindor regards the Hufflepuff, shaking his head. "Did something happen?"  
"It seems that the Giant Squid capsized the boat of some poor first years. It was supposed to have been in hibernation phase."  
Daichi furrows his eyebrows. “That’s odd.” 

Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. You had only meant it as a joke, an example of what great lengths Inky the squid would go for you, not a bloody suggestion. Fine. You were going to take it like a woman and own up to it - Inky was far wiser than Keiji could ever be. The owl couldn't even talk. It was the pure, unadulterated truth. You hoped the first years were alright. You’d reckon that it'd make a great story to tell to their future grandchildren. You turn to your little boating group. 

"If you guys as so much breathe a word about what happened back there..." Your finger slides across your throat menacingly. You don't wait for an answer as you storm off to find Iwaizumi and Oikawa. You strain your ear, searching for high-pitched whines and quick, short insults. You entertained the notion of being a private investigator, sent to find two of the three companions that had dumped you back on Hogwarts Express. To your dismay, they find you first. 

"[Y/N]- _chan_! We lost you back there! You were so tiny that I couldn't find you!" You kick the shameless oaf.  
"I didn't want to be in a boat with you anyway." You scowl. Iwaizumi looks apologetically at you.  
"Dummy-kawa was a nightmare. He kept trying to flirt with the girl with us and nearly lost an oar."  
Hmph. Served them right for having the audacity to ditch you like that. 

All the first years are gathered in front of the room as the Headmaster, Jiraiya Dumbledore walks up to the podium to give his welcome speech. His long, spiky, hair and red lines under his eyes gave him more of the impression of a hermit ninja rather than a headmaster for a prestigious school. Then again, you've never seen a ninja save for the cartoons that you had watched, so you let your opinion go unvoiced. Maybe this was the standard look for elderly wizards. 

"Wassup, kiddos! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, there's something very important that must be said. And here they are: Rejection makes a man stronger." An awkward pause. "Thank you!" He beams.  
"Reckon he's dealing with heartbreak?" Makki asks Mattsun at the deep end of the Slytherin table. Mattsun shrugs. "Don't know, don't care. Don't butt into teacher affairs."

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

The scroll had to be at least twelve feet long. You feel bad for those poor kids stuck in the bottom half of that list. Professor McGonagall brings out the sorting hat, and you are fascinated to find that it had a mouth and eyes. "Unfortunately, the scarf of sexuality is out of commission for this school term, due to some unfavorable events. Now, each and one of you will be sorted into four houses..."  
You listen attentively during the speech, as McGonagall explains the basics of Houses and earning points. You wonder which table you will end up sitting at at the end of the banquet. You watch as students gradually step up onto the stage and get sorted into houses, followed by waves of applause and cheering echoing behind you.

"Akira, [Y/N]."  
You hope you don't look too nervous as you make your way to sit down on the chair. You imagine that you are sitting on a throne, ready to be crowned Queen in front of the mass of human flesh and sweat sitting before you. Most of them are chatting away idly, while the gaggle of first years that stood in your vicinity stared right at you. You wondered which one of them you were going to befriend, which one of them you would let in on your secrets, and which one of them would be lucky enough to have you call them your archenemy.

Oh, you were gonna skin them alive.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat declares. 

_Ok boomer._

You resign from your temporary throne and take a turn left towards your designated table. There is applause and cheers from the table of strangers that you don't know. There are still many empty seats to fill, promising a long night. The empty plate in front of you fills up with fried chicken. Your stomach growls and you dig in. 

"What the hell is a Hufflepuff?" You wonder. You weren't smart, weren't brave, weren't ambitious. You were just...a loyal, patient hard worker. Apparently. You've read up on the Houses. Of course you have - it symbolized who you were in the school and determined your fate of who you'll spend all your classes with. You'd pondered about what house you were going to be put in, entertaining the idea of being a smartass Ravenclaw, a no-nonsense Gryffindor, or a boss bitch Slytherin. But not Hufflepuff. No way you had thought it would be Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff was the Canada of Hogwarts, nice, caring, and _invisible._ You didn't want to blend in. You wanted to stick out like a sore thumb and try to find your way into this unfamiliar world. 

"We are evil badgers that will claim world dominance. We possess cookies. End quote."  
The speaker sits across from you, spooning at a bowl of mackerel miso soup. You are drawn to his triangular eyebrows.  
"Who said that?" You ask him. "Oh, I'm [Y/N] Akira, by the way."  
"A friend of mine." He answers. "Reon Oohira, second year."  
You nod. "Do we possess cookies like we own them, or do our spiritual bodies sync into a cookie form like transformers?"  
"You ask interesting questions, Akira-san. It is possible, but it is an unsavory idea."  
"Unless you want to be devoured by those greedy Gryffindor punks, new girl." A new voice supplements. The newcomer's sharp brown eyes look like they were trying to pick you apart. A plate of Tekka Makki appears before him as he sits down.  
"This is Semi Eita, the friend that I was referring to earlier." Oohira introduces.  
Semi nods. "Yo. Not fond of being a badger, huh? Don't worry, we can prove those bitches wrong."  
"Semi-san, your language."  
You shrug half-heartedly. "It's just...I wasn't expecting this. But it's fine, I guess."  
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll learn to love it here." Oohira finishes his soup, and the plate cleans itself. A chocolate lava cake fills the empty space. He has an awfully soothing aura around him that almost makes you believe his words. Almost. 

You don't strain your ears to listen for Kenma, Iwaizumi, and Oikawa's names being called. You were sure that they weren't going to be sorted here. It didn't matter if they weren't going to join this table full of dodgy badgers, because you knew your paths would cross again. You'd like to think it would be a tenfold more destructive, because you weren't going to forgive them for ditching you back then. You were a petty person, but petty people knew how to create an explosion. A smirk snares it's way up your lips. 

"Let's show those mofos who's boss, Semi-san."  
There is a low audible groan from Oohira - corruption always smelled of piano and paint. It was an odd combination, but as he listened in on the type of schematics Eita and the first year girl were plotting, Oohira couldn't help but feel an iota - just a tiny iota of huffie pride. The chocolate lava cake is as delicious as ever, and he was sure to send compliments to the house elves when the banquet ended. He was looking forward to his second year of Hogwarts, and by the looks of how the conversation was going between his companions, it was growing ever more apparent that he needed to learn some healing spells. A lot of healing spells.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

You are secretly delighted to learn that the Hufflepuff Common Room is located right next to the kitchens. Sure it isn't as edgy as living in the dungeons like in Slytherin or as cool as dwelling high up in the towers like Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but the late night food escapades would be worth the sacrifice. All you needed was a partner in crime because you were too scared to go in alone. The common room has an earthy feel to it, full of plants hanging on the walls or decorating the sett-like windows. It was tantamount to a small, cozy cottage lit with the pleasant smell of incense. The room is mostly empty of people, as everyone had gone up to their dormitories to finish unpacking. You almost miss the grandpa-haired boy sitting on the ochre chaise in the corner of the room.

"Sugawara-kun?"  
The fellow Hufflepuff looks up from his book. His wet hair sweeps across his face and he tucks the strands back behind his ear. Suga greets you with a toothy grin, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Hey, [Y/N]-san. Fancy seeing you here. It's a small world, huh?"  
"It's kinda ironic, isn't it?" You muse. Last month, you had learned that there was this whole other world that had been waiting for you all along, yet despite that, you had found yourself bumping into a couple of familiar faces. You sit down on the chaise an arm's length away from him. "It feels so...weird but exciting at the same time."  
Sugawara lets out a tiny laugh - it was reminiscent of music to your ears. "Right? I feel like I've just been born yesterday - I don't know anything at all."  
"Tell me about it. Those moving staircases were about ready to decapitate me." Your fingers fiddle with the soft fur of the couch.  
The grandpa haired boy nods in agreement. "Yeah, they’re scary! Anyway, [Y/N]-san, I wasn't expecting to see you here."  
"Why, do I not look like I have a heart of gold?!" You feign hurt, sweeping an exaggerated hand over your forehead. "What about you, Suga? I was sure you'd be in the dungeons brewing flatulence potions with all the big, bad -er, tiny, skinny snakes!"  
"Careful, [Y/N]-chan. Don't mix up us big, bad badgers with those squiggly, scaly snakes!"  
The two of you bubble with mellifluous laughter. Maybe Oohira-san was right - maybe you'd learn to enjoy it here. 

Yellow was a good color on you anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i would be one of the poor kids stuck dead least on the sorting hat list. 
> 
> so did you guess right? originally, she was either going to be a slythie or a ravie, but I wanted to try something new.


	4. Bitches get stitches

You miss the glow in the dark stars that hang on your bedroom ceiling back home. The absence of the plastic green light feels like an offbeat as you slouch over your desk, parchment and pen at hand. At first, you had liked the idea of using a quill, but you were soon fed up with having to dip them in the inkwell every few seconds. The ink had smudged everywhere, and you would have screamed in frustration if there hadn't been three other girls fast asleep in your dorm room. So you had made the switch to your trusty gudetama pen. 

You recount your journey so far, delineating the details of Inky the squid and the sorting ceremony to Aone. 'I'd sort you into Hufflepuff,' you wrote. 'That way we can be evil and possess cookies together.' You wrote with endless excitement about all the speaking portraits and the magical items. You wrote about all sorts of strange people you had met so far. You hope he doesn't mind the superfluous amount of run-on sentences and parentheses. Lastly, you asked about him. You hoped that he was doing alright with school and volleyball. After you make sure that the words have dried up, you carefully tuck the letter into the envelope. You'd have to send the letter tomorrow - the delivery men had put Keiji in the owlery and it was too dark to go looking for him now. You blow out the candle, and head to bed. Takabear is tucked snugly beside you. 

"Goodnight, Taka." You whisper. "Goodnight world." 

A loud snore answers you. 

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"Yer a Hufflepuff? Ya sure you ain't a Slytherin hiding in sheep's clothing?"  
"No, I'm a big bad badger and I eat you Slytherins for breakfast."  
'Tha's cannibalism!" 

You slowly raise up your fork and knife, glaring at Miya Atsumu with intensity too extreme for an eleven year old girl. The ebony-haired boy scowls, "Whatever, my meat's ta much of a delicacy for ya pedestrian tastes."  
"I'm sure it is, tuna breath." You place down your utensils. "I'd have to thoroughly rinse out your blood and guts one hundred times before I can even chop you up." The Hufflepuffs sitting around you suddenly lose their appetite.  
"Whatever, ya classless troll." With that, Miya mothersliming Atsumu saunters off, his robe flouncing behind him. You growl as you angrily chow down your sausage and eggs. That impudent bastard did not just call you a troll. You were going to make him eat his words. 

Flying class was the first thing on your schedule for this morning. You were more than pleased to see that you are with the Gryffindors. Gryffindors were flashy wannabe heroes and you just wanted to one up them. Coach Ukai already has brooms prepared for all the students when everyone files into the courtyard. "Aright, are you ready kids?"  
"Aye aye captain." You murmur.  
"Aye aye captain!" Sugawara shouts beside you, wearing a sheepish grin. Coach Ukai nods in affirmation, a flicker of amusement in the professor's eyes. "Good." He has a scratchy voice. "Basically, all you guys have to do is look at your broom, concentrate, and say 'up.' It might take a few tries, but I'm confident you lot can manage it. Knock yourselves out."  
"Hell yeah! Let's race to see who gets it first, Ryu!"  
"You got it, Yuu!"  
You tilt your head to see two excitable Gryffindors jumping up and down. The shorter of the two claps the other on the back, causing him to bump into another Gryffindor, who pointedly glares at the duo. He kind of reminded you of a dad scolding his two reckless kids. Geez, what was with those weird comparisons going on in your head? You had to focus. You train your eyes back on your broom. It is lying idly on the floor. ' _Get up, sleepyhead._ ' It doesn't budge.  
"You have to put your hand out, [Y/N]-san." Sugawara advises you as he demonstrates. "I know Ukai said to knock yourself out, but hitting your head on the handle is hardly comfortable.”  
"Alright, miss perfect." You obediently jut out your hand, continuing to concentrate on the broom. You imagine flying around, zipping through the sky at a speed that could even rival the fastest of birds. _'Up.'_ You think. _'Up. Up. Up.'_  
The handle smacks against your palm, and you nearly fail to catch it. _'Mount me.'_ The broom seems to say. You swing one leg over, and seat yourself on the wooden transport. You kick off. You don't dare to go any higher than six feet. 

Kenma absolutely despises this. He had finally summoned the broom to go up, but it refused to fly. His broom putters pathetically as it tries to rise up, before stopping completely. Kenma nearly trips over his own toes.  
"Just focus and you'll get the hang of it." Enoshita, a fellow Gryffindor tries to encourage him.  
"I guess." Kenma responds, lackluster.  
"I think you have the capacity to become a great flier, but you seem disinterested."  
What gives? What was the point of flying if he could stay cooped up in his room playing Super Smash Bros instead? He appreciated Enoshita trying to help him, really, but he just wanted to be left alone. A couple of brooms fly overhead. All of his peers had been able to get their broom up, and now the majority of them were struggling like he was, trying to get it to fly at least two feet off the ground. Kenma wanted to go back inside already. 

The sun was beaming on your back as you glided through the air. Your fingers are starting to get sore from gripping on for so long, but you couldn't get enough if this. If you had a choice, you wanted to stay up here for the entire day. This was the time where you desperately wished you had a black cat sitting beside you as you looked over the expanse of the grounds. This must have been what Kiki felt like when she was flying into Koriko. 

Fwishhhhh. Fwishhhh. A silhouette in a blur of black and yellow streaks by, zipping around one of the towers, before they shoot straight down. You think they're about to splatter their brains all over the field, but they stop just before the impact. You squint, trying to catch their face. It is a tiny dot that grows into a mass of blonde hair, two pairs of intense eyes coming into focus. There are two stripes of black running across the sides of his head. His small brows are furrowed, and his mouth clamped into a frown. His figure gets larger and larger as he comes barreling towards you.  
"Watch out!" Someone shouts.  
You freeze. This was it. The first day of Hogwarts and you were going to be smashed into little bits of flesh and bone confetti before your adventure could properly unravel. A quick draft of wind whistles past you, black and yellow passing you by. The blonde had swerved last second, leaving you dazed in the dust.  
"Hey, are ya okay?!" The two troublesome Gryffindors from earlier fly towards you. The one that had spoken introduces himself as Ryu Tanaka, and the other as Yuu Nishinoya. It was kind of cute how their names rhymed, like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.  
"Dang, who was that kid?" Nishinoya remarks. "You know him, [Y/N]-san?"  
You shake your head. "Never seen such an angry _kyoken_ in my life before."  
Nishinoya laughs. "Talking about angry..." He and Tanaka exchange looks. "Yesterday, the giant squid had some beef with us and capsized our boat for no reason!"  
You gulp. "Wha-What?! That's...crazy!"  
"I know right?! I mean, we were almost to the castle and then - SWAAA!" Nishinoya makes a grand sweeping motion.  
"It was so wild!" Tanaka agrees, eyes bubbling with excitement. "The water was so cold I thought I was a goner!"  
"It will sure make a great story to tell our future grandchildren, though." Nishinoya adds thoughtfully.  
Ryu nods. "That's what I said! I feel bad for the other kid though - Sugawara looked petrified!" 

_Oh._ So that's why Suga’s hair was wet last night. You had simply assumed that he had taken a shower, but now the guilt comes crawling back. The classmate you had reconnected with yesterday had been your unsuspecting victim. You had promised to help him out as fellow clueless kids in this strange magic school and yet you were the one who unknowingly demanded a giant squid to nearly gobble him up in the process. Your hands were red even before you wielded a weapon.  
"Wanna race to see who flies the highest, [Y/N]-san?" Tanaka offers. 

No. You didn't want to go any higher. You aren't particularly afraid of heights, but you haven't piloted a broom before. The fact that you literally had your life in your own hands kind of terrified you - it would be your fault if the broom malfunctioned and you died. But you can't let go of the anticipation in Ryu and Yuu's eyes, so you nod. As stupid as it sounded, you wanted to impress you new Gryffindor friends. Hufflepuffs were brave too. Your grip tightens on your handle, and you will yourself to go up. There are a thousand invisible red balloons lifting you up higher and higher to the atmosphere, higher and higher so you could reach the clouds. You didn't dare to look down. 

"Oi! Oi! GET BACK DOWN HERE, YOU LOT! OI!" Ukai screams. He had never seen anyone so reckless at his career in Hogwarts. He had watched plenty of first years fly up to the top of the towers before, but those three reckless nitwits were pushing it. No one had the galls to fly that close up to the sun before. The sun! Ukai could already feel his life span shortening and it was only day one. When the trio had finally landed safely, he gave them an earful and a half. However, he had to admit that they did had quidditch potential. 

"[Y/N!] I thought you were going to DIE!" Sugawara roughly shakes you, as he continues to scold you and your stupidity.  
"I'm not stupid! I'm brave!" You defend. "I couldn't let them one up me!"  
Sugawara sighs. "How was the view?" He relents.  
Your lips stretch upwards and Sugawara is concerned at how impossibly wide they span.  
"My eyeballs were about to melt." 

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

  
The walls of the Charms classroom were decorated with Quidditch posters as an attempt to mask out the gloominess of the place. You take a seat nearest to the windows five minutes before class starts. Your elbow is propped on the desk, cheek resting on the palm of your hand as you lazily watch people file in. You have yet to find your prey.

"Hey, hey, hey! That's the Montrose Magpies! Look! Akaashi! Akaashi? "  
Akaashi Keiji doesn't pay much mind to the excitable Gryffindor as he takes his seat. He had just met the bloke yesterday, and Bokuto had stuck to him like glue. It is a bit annoying, but he doesn't mind. Actually, why was the second year even here? Sure, Bokuto could be skipping his classes, but why would he choose to spend it here of all places? Akaashi pulls out his copy of _How to Charm Your Own Cheese_ , and idly stares at the yellow block of cheddar. Bokuto sits beside him, dumping out the contents of his school bag on the table. Scraps of sherbet lemon wrappers litter the once immaculate tabletop. Bokuto offers him an acid pop. Akaashi politely declines. 

Professor Akiteru Tsukishima strolls in a second after the bell chimes, spewing a litany of apologies upon his entrance. It's his first year of teaching at Hogwarts, and nearly half of the girls are already sending death glares his way. He clears his throat awkwardly, waving his wand. The blackboard comes to life as it coughs up this year's syllabus. "H-hi, everyone!" He scolds himself for stammering in front of a bunch of first years. "I'm Professor Tsukishima - but you can call me Professor Akiteru - I am your charms teacher this year. Before we begin, I would like to know a little bit of yourselves." Akiteru procures a white feather from his pocket. "I am going to pass this feather around the room - when it's your turn with the feather, I would like you to introduce yourself and tell us something about you. A fact, a hobby, a goal...anything at all." His smile is warm as he passes the feather to the first student. The Hufflepuff is practically staring daggers at him. Did he already mess up that badly? 

"My name is Ame Holdt." The girl declares. "And I think you've already put quite the charm on me."  
There is a cacophony of 'Oohs' and 'That was my line!' that ring out in the classroom. Akiteru is beyond flustered. Why was this girl accusing him of bewitching her? Unless...  
"I'm Lyla Hoover!" The next student giggles. "Are you a parking ticket? Because you have 'Fine' written all over you." There is another cacophony of laughter. .  
..Nope, he wasn't being an old weirdo - those eleven year olds were hitting on him. What would his brother say? Tsukki would definitely give him the cold shoulder. The feather continues to make its rounds, and every so often, another bold student sings out a pick up line. Where did they get all their courage from? Akiteru wasn’t nearly as half as brave as those kids. 

"Hi hi, I'm Oikawa Tooru and I like milk buns!" (Akiteru is relieved when the lovey dovey eyes turn their attention to the brunette.)  
"I'm [Y/N] Akira, and I will train an army of owls to overthrow the world."  
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm Bokuto! I will be the best quidditch player ever! Ya better watch out for me!"  
"Ummm, Akiteru-sensei, what is a Gryffindor doing here?"

_Man, those were the days._ He'd kill to be eleven again. 

"I would beat you noobs at broom racing." You boast to Oikawa and Iwaizumi as you jot down your notes.  
Oikawa scoffs. "Oh wait 'til you see me make the quidditch team! Then you'll eat my dust, [Y/N]-chan."  
Iwaizumi slaps Oikawa's head harshly. "Turn around and do your work, Shitty-kawa."  
"You're no fun, Iwa~" 

"Hey Akaashi!" You greet him amiably as the Ravenclaw is packing up. "Fancy seeing you here, huh?"  
Akaashi nods his salutations. "It would make sense, since we are both first years. How is your owl doing, Akira-san?"  
"Keiji still can't talk even though I showed him all the parrot videos. He's not as smart as you are, Akaashi.You are the OG."  
Behind him, Bokuto’s ears perk up, and he hovers beside Akaashi with wide, inquisitive eyes. He flaps his arms about, sniffing around him, but otherwise he remains silent.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Who's this chick, Akaashi?" Nevermind. Akaashi spoke too soon.  
He remains calm as he introduces Bokuto to you. Akaashi wasn't expecting to see you in this class. To be frank, he had expected you to show up barging into Transfiguration class last block, clad in green and silver. It throws him off a bit to see you in Hufflepuff but Keiji couldn't always be right. It was just a little shock to him. Was he being too stereotypical by thinking this way? Everything had its place - laundry, dishes, people, and Akaashi has to admit that the Hufflepuff robes suit you. 

"I can't believe you named an owl after him, [Y/N]-chan!" Oikawa whines as you exit the charms classroom.  
"Don't be jealous, Idiot-kawa. It's embarrassing." Iwaizumi mocks.  
"Hmph! Like I want a stupid, ugly, owl to be named after someone as pretty as me!"  
"Don't offend my baby!" You jab a sharp finger into the fool’s cheek. "One of these days, Keiji will learn how to talk and you'll regret backtalking us when he pecks your eyes out!" Sure, Keiji was a bit slow on learning his ABCs, but no one could call the Bubo ugly and get away unscathed. That idiot Oikawa had it coming to him.  
“You know that I would never backtalk you, [Y/N]-chan! If I had something to say, I’d say it right in your face!”  
You make extra care to step on his toes as you make your way to your next class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kyoken means mad dog.  
> i know akiteru is 5 years older than Kei, who is currently 10 atm but let's pretend that he's in his 20s for now.


	5. Browbeating Miya

Potions class is less than exhilarating. You were anticipating to brew a potion that did something cool - like the polyjuice potion or the magical girl transformation potion. It was quite a letdown when you discover that you're learning to brew the Cure for Boils potion. Great. What was next? Professor Nekomata unleashing a herd of hogs with warts and telling the class to treat them? 

"Can anyone tell me the three ingredients used in Cure for Boils?" Nekomata-sensei asks.  
A Slytherin boy raises his hand. "Horned Slugs, Porcupine Quills, and Snake Fangs, professor."  
"Excellent! Two points to Slytherin!" Nekomata nods approvingly. "Now, what color will the smoke be when the potion is properly made?"  
No one raises their hand save for the same copper-haired boy. "It will turn pink, sir."  
The professor nods again, and awards him another two points. "Now, I will like you all to have a try at brewing this potion. Don't worry if you don't get it on your first try - the art of potion making comes with practice. However, I will award those who brew this potion successfully with eight house points." This was your chance. You take out your cauldron and start preparing.

"Let's see who makes it first, Sugawara."  
Your seat partner waves his hand, as if shooing away the notion. "Not everything is about competition, [Y/N]. This is all about being slow and steady." Sugawara pops the snake fangs in his mortar, and you do the same as you bash it into oblivion. Fifty minutes later, your cauldron is bubbling red. You watch as it heats up, pink tendrils slowly rising from the concoction.  
"I did it Suga!" You exclaimed, tugging at his robes. "Nekomata-sensei, I completed it!"  
The professor strolls over, and peers into your pot. "A job well done. Eight point for Huffl-"

BOOM!

Without any warning, the potion completely explodes, splashing the searing liquid all over your face and clothes. You immediately wipe away the concoction with your sleeve, cheeks stinging with confusion and shame. There is loud, rambunctious laughter from the Slytherin side of the room. 

"Look, the lil' potion cleared up all your warts for ya." Miya Atsumu drawls, a stupid sneer on his stupid face. You want to punch him, but you don't budge, still a bit in shock. "I don't have warts." You convince yourself, because you don't. Sure your skin is a bit dry at times but you hadn't reached that age yet. Besides, it was your fault for trying to rush the potion. You don't have anyone else to blame but your own carelessness. Sugawara offers you napkins and you try to wipe all the burning humiliation away. It doesn't leave.

"It's alright, dear. Not everything is perfect the first time." Nekomata tries to comfort you, but to no avail. You watch as he magicks the mixture away. The professor stares at the cauldron. He frowns. He picks it up and rubs his fingers against the now lukewarm pewter. His frown deepens. When he speaks, his voice is dark. "You really have some tact, kid. Thinking it must be funny to put some bulbadox powder in this poor girl's cauldron." Nekomata isn't looking at you, instead, he's focusing his gaze on a particular black haired Slytherin. You don't know what bulbo or whatever powder was, but it was definitely not in any of the ingredients.

"Looks like that Slytherin sabotaged you." Sugawara whispers. You bite your lip, trying to calm your spiking blood pressure.  
"10 points from Slytherin, and a date with me at 9PM tonight, Miya Atsumu."  
Miya doesn't look remorseful, but you swear you see the lights in his eyes dull. You look straight at him. "There's something called karma, Miya, and it's pronounced H-A-H-A." It doesn't sound as cheeky as you had intended for it to, but instead it falls flat into a dry deadpan. As much as you wanted to spite him, you were more upset than you were annoyed. You know it must be some sick prank of his, but you don't know what he's trying to play at. You had thought that two of you were chill, and you hate that you've assumed that. And you hate how you leave the class with traitorous tears rolling out of your eyes.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

By night time, you've cleared your mind of the earlier events. You weren't going to let Tuna boy get to you, but you certainly weren't going to forgive him either. All your classmates must have thought you were an idiot. _Well, they don't matter._ You try to convince yourself. There are more important things. You clench your letter tighter in your fist as you make your way to the third floor of Hogwarts. The staircases overwhelm you as you try to find your way with the poorly drawn map Sugawara had given you. You look at the messy scrawling as you walk, trying to make sense of the directions and the odd arrows.

"Are you lost?"  
You peek up from your map, stretching your neck to meet the gaze of the speaker, who you find out, has a terribly bad case of bedhead syndrome.  
"No." You lie.  
"Hnnn? You look lost." His voice is smooth like silk. You glance at his necktie - dancing with gold and red stripes - before you catch the gigantic lump that he is holding in his hands.  
"What." You start. "What is that _thing?_ "  
The lump croaks. Two beady eyes stare up at you. Goosebumps jump the lines of your spine.  
"That thing is my toad, Hufflepuff girl. Don't gawk at Bufonidae - it's rude." The Gryffindor says cooly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to head up to the owlery. Bye, Hufflepuff girl."  
"Wait!" You call after him. "Take me with you." 

"So you bring your toad here so it can...defecate?"  
"Well, I have yet to learn the Vanishing spell, so this was the best solution. Plus I like it up here."  
You make a face. "Who goes up to the owlery to enjoy the scenery while their toad poops right next to them? Disgusting." You put the letter in Keiji's beak and send him off with a pat.  
"Don't knock it until you've tried it. Just look at this sky! I can see the Little Dipper from up here." The second year jabs his finger up at a cluster of stars. You squint your eyes. "It's pretty, but couldn't you clean up after your toad?"  
"I told you already, Hufflepuff girl. I can't Evanesco the evidence away yet."  
"I'm [Y/N] Akira, not Hufflepuff girl." You correct. "Clean it up yourself, lazy."  
"Kuroo Tetsurou." He replies. "And I'm not being lazy, I'm being resourceful."

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

“On a scale from 1 to America, how free are you tonight?” Semi asks you the moment he spots you in the common room.  
"I'm the bald eagle, homie." You rejoinder. "Why?"  
Semi's grin widens. "We're baking some cookies."

So the two of you sit on the couch, preparing a batch of special surprise cookies as Oohira reluctantly supervises the two of you. Semi had refused to tell you what the 'surprise' of the cookies were, only that they were going to be grand and that you should definitely not eat one of them. You reckoned it had to do with the fact of possessing cookies or something - you had agreed on making plans with him to do some innocent badger scheming. Those were some awfully strange ingredients though. Were cockroach chips and sloth brains even safe to consume? You had to put your trust in your upperclassmen, and having Oohira here puts you at ease too. Oohira looked like the type to be able to wake people up from the dead in case things went wrong. 

"I can't wait to see the look on Daichi's face when he eats this. It annoys me when he acts all responsible in all his sanctimonious glory." Semi swipes his tongue over his lips, patting down the cookie dough in star shapes.  
"Are you still bitter about the one on one match with him from last year?" Oohira continues to flip through his potions textbook. "You shouldn't be so hung up over it."  
Semi huffs. "He was all up in my face about it, even though I only lost by two points."  
"He complimented you - 'You are a formidable player.' End Quote."  
"Tch."  
You finish molding the last batch of dough, placing them gently on the tray. You count thirty of them. Was thirty enough to take over the entire student body? You'd have to start small.

"I'll beat him. I'm gonna beat him in every game we play against Gryffindor."  
"That is if you both make it past the Quidditch tryouts."  
"Hey." You interrupt. "Is there a volleyball team here?"  
"What's volleyball?" They ask in unison.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Kyotani-kun."  
"Kyotani-kun."  
" _Kyotani-kun._ "

The blonde finally snaps his attention towards you. An eyebrow quirks. _'What do you want?'_ he seems to ask. You haphazardly lean on the broom as you find the right words to say. "Will you show me how to do those zigzags?"  
Kyotani finishes the last of his homework. "Why?"  
You scratch your head. "I want to be able to do it too!"  
"You'll get in the way like last time."  
You huff. "You're the one that nearly splattered my brains all over the pavement!" You jab a finger at him. "Or are you too scared to lose to me?"  
He practically growls, eyes lighting with fire. "Meet me in the courtyard." 

Fifteen minutes later, the two of you settle on the grounds, as he shows you the basics of making sharp turns and dangerous twists. Kyotani could even go upside down without a problem. You fly after him as he zips around the towers, trying to take in each little movement - the poise of his posture, the direction of his swerve, and the positioning of his feet. You meet up with him every week, trying to tweak your bad habits and mimicking his motions. It takes quite a long time for you to master those impossibly angled turns, but once you get the hang of it, everything else starts to slowly click in place like clockwork. 

You look at Miya like he's grown an extra eye on his head when he opens the door for you on the way to potions class. You could feel his eyes on you as you made your way to your desk. Today, Nekomata-sensei was covering the Wiggenweld Potion. "The Wiggenweld Potion is a powerful healing potion that can be used to heal injuries. It can also be used to reverse the effects of two potions - can anyone tell me what those two potions are?" The professor nods towards your seatmate. 

"The Sleeping Draught and the Draught of Living Death, professor." Sugawara calmly answers.  
"Excellent, my boy. Two points to Hufflepuff." 

You give the grandpa-haired kid a high five. "Impressive, my dude."  
He flashes a toothy smile. "I studied, unlike a certain someone."  
"I am." You insist. Potions was practically like cooking to you, but it was the ingredients that you had a hard time remembering. There are too many unique properties and different effects when you marry them with another component. 

When Miya Atsumu hands you a vial of salamander blood, you eye him suspiciously. He has his signature smug smile on his face, and before you can reject the act of kindness/shadiness, he saunters back to his table. 

"He's sorry." Osamu tells you later. "He didn't mean to harm ya." 

There are over a dozen ingredients for this concoction, and you blanch as you stare at the sloth brain mucus. Mucus comes from sloth brains? Speaking of sloth brains, didn't you use them to make cookies with Semi the other day? You dump the slimy goop into your cauldron, watching it turn into a puke color. "I'm never going to drink a potion in my life." You vow. 

Sugawara chuckles. "I'm sure that you'll have to eventually. Savor the moment when you gulp down juice that's made with tree bark, flobberworm entrails, and -"

You puke into the pot.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Over the course of the next two weeks, Miya continues to act very oddly towards you - opening doors, handing you ingredients and giving you candy like some sort of creepy stranger. You refuse to speak to him, until one day, you've had enough.

"What are you getting at, Miya?" You demand. "What do you want from me?"  
_I want ya to forgive me._ He thinks. "What are ya talkin' about? I'm just bein' a nice, model, student." He says.  
"Don't lie, tuna boy. I smell something fishy when I know it. Are you trying to bribe me?"  
"There's nothin' that I could bribe ya for."  
You turn on your heels, not bothering to waste your breath on him. 

You practically throw the cookie at him. "Eat it." You say.  
Miya looks at the chocolate chip cookie. Then at you.  
"Eat it." You repeat. So he does. He wolfs down the sudden gift to him, and he has to admit that it tastes far better than any other cookie that he's ever had in his lifetime. "It's not bad." He says. You frown at him. "It's good." He revises. You don't move. In fact, you're staring at him. Atsumu doesn't know what he's supposed to do. "It's delicious, okay?" Your countenance doesn't waver. Atsumu can feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.  
"I'm sorry, okay?! I'm sorry for makin' the potion explode - I thought it would be a laugh!" He finally confesses, his fists clenched tight. He hates admitting that he was in the wrong, but the confession of his wrongdoing relieves him of the extra weight on his shoulders that he's been carrying.  
You don't say a word. In fact, you just walk away in very, very slow motion. 

The side effects don't start working until the next day. Miya wakes up to find that he has a full blown set of fox ears and a matching orange tail. His reflection stares back. Miya yelps as his hands jump to cover his furry ears. Wait a minute. Miya stares very suspiciously at the mirror. The mirror stares back, a reflection of himself in his hazel eyes. And then the realization hits him like a brick. Atsumu looks pretty cute in half-fox form. Like, really, really adorable. He touches his new tail warily. He was supposed to be hot, not cute! 

Upon seeing Miya in all his kitsune glory, you burst out laughing. You can't contain your delight. You can't help the fact that he looks ridiculous in his kitty ears and tails, and so your mouth betrays you. "I forgive you." You manage to chortle out. Miya manages to hide his genuine smile, but he can't help the way that his ears perk up nor the way his tail is wagging with joy. 

_The Wiggenweld Potion is a healing potion that cures injuries. Healing plays an important role in both magic and outside of magic, forgiving ghastly cuts and broken bonds._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> evanesco is the Vanishing spell. apparently in the olden days where loos hadn't been invented yet, witches and wizards just relieved themselves in their pants and vanished the evidence away. lovely, i know.


	6. Heart's Lament

Taka's letter arrives almost two months later in a yellow clasp envelope. The letter is written in square cardstock paper -

_I'm doing well. School is the usual, and Kenji is the captain this year.  
I apologize for the lateness, I was trying to finish something up and it took longer than expected. I hope you will like them. - 青根 高伸_

Aone was a child of few words indeed, but you were glad that he seemed to be doing well. You unwrap the small bag that came with the letter, and you marvel at the cute little Hufflepuff robe that Aone had sewn for your polar bear. Aone would definitely grow into one of those cute grandpas that knit their grandchildren's sweaters. You carefully change Takabear out of his jersey and into his new attire. You snap a picture of you and your stuffed animal waving to the camera for him.

You write to him often. You write to him about all the little things and big things that have happened, and it's become a little ritual that you do before bed. It's calming to spill out your thoughts on paper, releasing you of the day's stress. On the days that you feel extra artsy, you drown all your watercolors and ink into the pages of your art journal. You like to draw pictures of the people that you had met, writing small excerpts about them for you to recall when you're twenty years into the future. 

"Are you writing a confession to Professor Akiteru too, [Y/N]-san?" Your roommate asks you, looking over your shoulder. "That's a really long letter."  
You glance up at Ame's expectant face. "No. I'm writing to a friend. Weren't you going to save the confession for Valentine's Day?" You fold up the parchment and stick it into the envelope. You'll have to finish up writing it later. 

"Well, I was going to, but then I overheard a group Ravenclaw girls talking about it too, and I didn't want to share that day with them." Ame explains. "Besides, February is too far away, and if he declines, then too bad. There are plenty of other cute boys in our year and I'm going to take full advantage of it." You are quite impressed with how mature she is in the topic of love, so you choose to indulge her. 

"What cute boys? They're all equally sweaty to me." 

Ame shakes her head at you, like she was a grownup being asked a nonsense question by a clueless child. "Oh, [Y/N]-san, you just don't get it yet. There's Shirabu-kun and the Miya twins in Slytherin, Watari-kun in our house, and Oikawa-kun in Ravenclaw. Asahi-senpai is also kinda cute, even though everyone is scared of him. There's rumors going around that he used to be a delinquent, but I doubt that's true."  
"No eligible bachelors in Gryffindor?" You like the fact that you know half the boys that were listed - your social connections were starting to pay off. Ame sighs dreamily. "Those Gryffindors are too much trouble. Enoshita-san is really chill, though...What about you, [Y/N]-san? Who do you think is the cutest?" 

If that question was a quiz on your charms exam, you would have gotten the answer right in a heartbeat.

"Keiji, of course." 

A smile sprouts for Ame's face. "No honorifics? Looks like your super close with that super smart Ravenclaw. You have taste." 

"Uh...no." You backtrack. "Keiji my eagle owl." 

Ame looks at you with...sadness? Pity? You're not sure. "So you don't think Akaashi-kun is cute?" 

"Um...well...look at the time! It's getting late, so I'm going to head to bed! Good night, Ame! Good luck with your confession." 

"Wait-that's not..." Ame watches as you throw your blankets over your head. "...Thanks." 

That night, you have a strange dream. Keiji, your eagle owl, had the head of Akaashi Keiji, and Akaashi Keiji had the head of your eagle owl, Keiji. Akaashi Keiji is flapping his wings around the owlery in Kei's body and Kei is running down the corridor, trying to peck Oikawa's eyes out in Akaashi Keiji's body. Then the stars grew arms and legs and hobbled around the Great Hall, eating up all the enchanted plates so no one could have their breakfast.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"Would you like to come watch the upcoming Quidditch game with me, Akira-san?" Akaashi suddenly asks you one day as the two of you are studying in the library. "Bokuto-san would like for you to come watch him."

You look up from your Charms homework. "I'll be supporting Hufflepuff, though." You show him the Hufflepuff pin that Ame had given you the other day. The badger is decked out in yellow and black, dancing and rolling around in the confined metal space of your pin. 

"That is fine. We can still sit together. I will save you a seat." Akaashi says coolly. You agree to meet him at the grounds next Tuesday on the day of the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor match. It was going to be the first match of the season, and you were curious and excited to see the game right before your eyes. Last month, Oikawa had started to drag you and Iwaizumi to play your own impromptu matches. You and Iwaizumi played chaser as Oikawa tried to keep the Quaffle from going through the goal. You had to admit that the doe-eyed boy had some skill.

It was much colder than usual on the day of the match. November was starting to chase out the remaining remnants of summer heat and a little breeze rolled by here and there. You wrap your huffie scarf tighter around your neck. The stiff wood of the bench was already starting to feel uncomfortable. There was no back support either - your posture was going to suffer for the duration of the game. The Quidditch players slowly file out into the field, all decked out in canary yellow or bright red. 

"So, what position is Bokuto playing?" You ask Akaashi. 

"Bokuto-san is one of the chasers. He's quite talented at making a lot of scores." Akaashi explains. "Do you see the numbers on each of the player's backs, Akira-san?"  
"Uh-huh. The teams have matching numbers." You observe with your binoculars. "One to seven."  
"That's correct. Each number correlates to what position the player is playing. For example, one is for the keeper, two and three are for the two beaters, four to six are the chasers, and seven is the seeker."  
"I see. Oh - I recognize one the beaters." You zero in on a particular bedhead. "Kuroo...Tetsurou, I think." You also recognize Semi playing keeper for Hufflepuff, who is currently sending glares to the opposing Keeper - Daichi, you recall. They had both gotten in during Quidditch tryouts last month, which only fueled Semi's competitive streak.  
"There are quite a bit of second years playing this year." Akaashi agrees. "Coach Ukai likes to choose players early in order to train them for a longer amount of time."  
"You seem to know quite a bit about the sport."  
"It's one of my hobbies." 

You watch as Coach Ukai releases the squirming balls from the box, and you are amazed as each of them shoot up into the air. "You know the rules!" Ukai shouts. "No foul play, no cheating. Good game!" The whistle blows, and everyone shoots upwards on their brooms. The spectators erupt into cheers. 

"Show your stuff, Hufflepuff!"  
"Hear our roar, Gryffindor!"

You follow a Hufflepuff chaser as they trail after the Quaffle at breakneck speed, until a bludger comes barreling their way, hitting them square on the back. The chaser is nearly knocked off the broom from the impact. Magic folk sure liked to live on the edge of danger - if the chaser had fallen, they would have surely broken all their bones, or worse, died. 

"Usually, the school nurse or some other healers are out in the field in case anything happens. If players have their faces smashed in, or some ribs broken, they give them Skele-gro."  
"You mean, there's no magical trampoline that breaks their fall?"  
Akaashi looks at you weirdly. "No, there isn't. The broom tends to find the player before it happens." 

What was this, Ancient Rome and the colosseum? 

"Aaaaaaand Hufflepuff makes the first score!" Tanaka Ryu shouts from the commenter stands. "Looks like the badgers are making a comeback this season!" Nishinoya remarks beside him. 

"Show your stuff, Hufflepuff!" 

On the left-hand side of the field, Semi Eita keeps his guard, ready to block all the Quaffles that come his way. He wasn't going to lose to that Sawamura punk. Not today, not ever. 

"The way of the ACE - is THIS!" Semi swings his focus to the dramatic salt-and-pepper haired chaser. Boruto, was it? Boruto swings his torso forward, releasing the red ball from his hands as it comes swinging towards the left hoop. Semi's eyes are sharp and he manages to successfully block it. The crowd cheers. Semi Eita was at 120% today, and he was not going to let a single ball slip through his fingertips. 

Renji Abarai and Ikkaku Madarame, the fourth year Gryffindor chasers, could feel it coming. The aura was starting to leak out from Bokuto like a hole in a rowboat. They could practically hear all the air leave the second year's lungs. Renji and Ikkaku exchange uneasy looks. "...Already?" Renji sighs.  
"It's just the start of the game!" Ikkaku groans. "I even did my lucky lucky dance three times before the match!" The two of them immediately stiffen up as Bokuto jabs a finger at them. 

"Don't pass to me anymore!" Bokuto shouts dramatically, his eyes already starting to look dazed. "I don't know how to score!"  
"Fine by me owl boy." Renji replies.  
"You suck anyway." Ikkaku jabs.  
Bokuto practically deflates right then and there. 

"So what's your house's motto?" You ask Akaashi as Gryffindor finally, finally, manages to make a score thirty minutes later.  
"It is 'Ravenclaw, make them sore.' I believe."  
"Soar?" You instinctively lean your face a tad closer to his. "I didn't realize Ravenclaw had that much sportsmanship."  
"That's because we don't. We want to make the opposing team's ache their skin, bleed their hearts, and make their legs so sore that they are unable to fly a broom properly."  
"Ah, that sore. That's kind of heartless." You muse.  
"Words are the poetry to the heart." Akaashi rejoinders. 

It is deep into the night when the match is finished. Hufflepuff had scored themselves the most unexpected defeat of the first match. Everything had been going so well until the last hour, when Bokuto had finally managed to get his kick back, scoring a multitude of points for the Lions. In the moments following, Kuroo the Beater had knocked out two Hufflepuff Chasers, and the Gryffindor seeker had managed to snatch the snitch - thus ending  
the game. 

"I'm embarrassed for ya Huffies." Miyasneers, as he walks you out from the Quidditch pitch, not wasting time to rub the salt in your wound. "It's been three years since you badgers had won the Quidditch Cup." 

"It's still the beginning, Tuna Boy. We still have two matches left." You reason. "It's still not too late for us to win." 

"I'll have ya know, Slytherin's not gonna go easy on ya." 

"What was the motto again - Slither-in-a-win, Slytherin?" You slowly trudge through the overgrown grass. "Heard you snakes were a cheat." 

"Oh, is that so?" Miya smirks. "We put the 'S-L-Y', the sly in house of Slytherin, the 'H-O-T' the hot in house of Slytherin, the 'S-I-N' the sin in house of Slytherin, the 'S-L-U-" You cut off Atsumu's unceremoniously loud singing by slapping a hand over his mouth. 

"Look!" You hiss, pointing at a small creature sitting on a rock. "It's a Clabbert!" 

The Clabbert, according to your textbook, was a XX rated creature that resembled something of a cross between a monkey and a frog. It had a large pustule in the middle of it's forehead that would turn scarlet when Muggles were near. Tiny horns protruded on the top of it's head, serrated teeth gleaming under it's catlike smile. You gingerly crouch down, taking a step closer to have a better look of the creature. 

"Are you lost?" You ask it. It doesn't reply. "What are you doing, so far from home?" Clabberts resided in America - you recall, and American wizards used to keep them up on their trees to help warn them of approaching Muggles. However, the practice was ended when it attracted too many Muggles wishing to ask their neighbors why they still had Christmas lights up in June. 

Miya squats down next to you. "Is that yer sister?" He asks. "The resemblance is uncanny." You ignore him as you outstretch the palms of your hands, trying to coax the Clabbert into your arms. It stuck out its tongue, rectangular pupils watched you, unblinking. It croaked, before hopping a little closer to you. 

"Oi!" A loud voice makes the two of you jump - and the Clabbert immediately flees the scene. "Oi, what are you kids doing, trying to kidnap a frog?" You stand back up, and flinch at the sight of a very short and grumpy old man. You want to argue that it wasn't a frog, and that you just wanted to pet it, but you didn't want to get roped into trouble by your History of Magic Professor. 

"Professor Washijou-" Atsumu starts. "It's not what ya think it is-" 

"Don't try to sweet talk your way out of this, boy." Washijou barks. "I know your antics." 

"But professor-" He tries again. 

"No buts." Washijou coldly cuts him off, "Ten points from Slytherin and Hufflepuff each for attempting to abduct a frog." 

You and Miya collectively groan. Washijou gives the two of you a withering look. He wasn't done yet. 

"Furthermore, the two of you will spend tomorrow evening in detention together. Don't be late." The old man hisses before storming off into the night. 

"Why is it that every time I'm with you, bad stuff always happens?" 

Miya gives you a half-hearted grin. "What can I say? Trouble finds me I-R-E, the irresistible in Slytherin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what the actual gryffindor motto is, so i made my own. same with slytherin's. 
> 
> fun fact: 青根 aone - deep blue 高伸 - big/tall stretch
> 
> thank goodness i have a copy of fantastic beast + where to find them as a to refer to for this fic.  
> atsumu was singing Swish and Flick's 'S-l-y in Slytherin' - [clicky](https://genius.com/Swish-and-flick-s-l-y-in-slytherin-lyrics)  
> there was this Kesha parody, 'We R Slytherins' - [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2izAotP9go)  
> i was quite a potterhead back in the day


	7. Revelation

Semi is beyond devastated. He sits, quietly pouting beside the cactus plants in the HCR. Semi didn't seem like the type to sulk over a loss, so it was quite a surprise to see him in that state. It kind of reminded you of Amu's many facades versus her true self - pretending to be cool and collected, when in reality, she was just as lovesick over Tadase as the rest of the academy girls. The only grave difference was that whereas Amu was lovesick, Semi was unfetteringly hot-headed. 

'He's hopeless.' Oohira mouths to you. 'He's a bit of a petty loser.' 

'I noticed.' You mouth back, carefully approaching the sulking Hufflepuff Keeper. Very, very cautiously, you place a hand on his shoulders. He immediately jerks up, promptly slamming his forehead into yours. You lose your balance and slam onto the hardwood floor, a sharp pain overtaking you. "Ow." 

Semi's eyes soften in remorse. "Sorry." He mutters darkly. This boy was truly hopeless. You shake your head, rubbing the skin of your elbow. There was sure to be a bruise there tomorrow. 

"Semi." You start. "You played great today. Like really good, I've never seen you look so determined despite all three chasers ganging up on you." 

You praise him, quickly exchanging a glance at Oohira. Oohira nods encouragingly. You pet Semi's hair awkwardly. It's still damp with sweat clinging to the clumps of his hair. 

You grimace. Comforting someone wasn't your strongest point, and you hating lacing your words with sweetness and cupcakes. "So snap out of it. Don't be a sore loser. Our team will beat them next time." Next year. "...Wanna make cookies with me during lunch tomorrow?" 

"Cookies are lame. I want brownies." Semi huffs. What a child. 

"Okay, we'll make brownies, my dude." You promise. "So go shower. You smell like stale fart." 

Semi looks insulted, hurt visible in his almond eyes. It was like he was on the verge of crying. Never had you expected that you'd have to baby your upperclassman, but there you were, helping him stand up so he could walk his sad little bum into the boy's dormitory.

Oohira sends you an appreciative nod. He hands you the choco-locos.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────── 

  
"[Y/N]-chan!" Oikawa practically drags you by your arm towards the exit of the Great Hall. "You've been neglecting me for too long, and now that I finally have you, we're going to set off dungbombs together."

You wrestle your arm from his iron grip. "We just saw each other yesterday, homie." 

Oikawa sends you one of his signature pouts. You flick his forehead with a satisfying snap of your fingers. The brunette feigns hurt, rubbing at the wound that you had inflicted on him.   
  
"You're so cruel, [Y/N]-chan. But since I'm so nice, I'll still let you come with me." 

It wouldn't hurt to indulge the idea for a little bit. "Where will we go?" 

His face lights up like the bulb of an Anglerfish. "The SCR, of course. This Slythie chick told me the password - Pureblood - super lame right? Obviously, under my amazing guidance, we will escape no problem. It's a shame that I won't be able to see Atsumu-chan's horrified little face though." Oikawa sighs. "Iwa-chan would be mad if I got house points taken away." 

"Joke's on you, Oikawa." You say mirthlessly. "Miya won't even be there to smell it, because, guess what? He has detention with yours truly tonight." 

Oikawa gasps, going shock still like a doe caught in the headlights. "W-What? That's unfair! That's practically a date!" He manages to choke out, "You betrayed me, [Y/N]-chan. Now I'm going to be so sad and lonely." 

"Go play with Iwaizumi." You retort. "I'm a busy woman - I have detention to go to." 

Oikawa watches you leave in dismay. The brutal lengths that he had to go through in order to obtain the password was for naught. Well, he wasn't going to be one-upped either. His feet lead him to the Slytherin table, and he puts on his biggest, most charming smile.   
  
"Hey, you, Naomi-chan." 

Oikawa knows he sounds a bit rude, but charm is something that he'll perfect. The cluster of girls suddenly cease their conversation, all looking giddy and expectant to hear what Oikawa had to say. Naomi, the chick that had given him the password, bites her lips when his eyes meet hers. 

"Yes, Oikawa-kun?"   
  
"Do you have time to go to the lake with me now, Naomi-chan?" Oikawa asks, voice like honey. "I couldn't wait until Tuesday to see you." 

The Slytherin practically glows. "O-oh, of course, Oikawa-kun! Anything for you." Naomi excuses herself from the table, following Oikawa out of the Great Hall like a lovesick puppy. Oikawa isn't really too sure what the two of them were going to do at the lake. Watch the sunset and talk about their life stories like all in all the cliché Muggle movies? He's never really been on a 'date' before, so he'll have to make do with what he saw on television. He's still a little bit bitter that you had abandoned him for that stupid snake, still hurt that you'd willingly get in trouble with said snake. He wanted to go on a detention with you first - he'd even be willing to do all of the work.  
  


Detention, you find out, was walking through the forbidden forest searching for first blood in the middle of the night with Hagrid the Half-Giant and Miya the Tuna Boy. The only source of light underneath the vast black sky was the lantern that you are holding. Gigantic trees with twisted branches spiral in all directions, invisible cobwebs snaring your clothing and face with every step that you take. 

"Hear'd that yer lot were caught stealin' a frog." Hagrid speaks, trying to keep the atmosphere hearty. "Tha' Professor Washi always eager ta punish ya poor firs' years. There's no harm in tamin' a frog - I got meh a whole collection of lil' beasts back in me hut. Gentle creatures, they are."

"It was a Clabbert." You correct. "Any sensible person would have known that." 

"Now, dun go insultin' ol' Washijou for his poor eyesight. A Clabbert, ya say? A rare sight ta see 'round here." 

You pass a large tree trunk filled with a mass of green goop that closely resembles fungus - you identify them as bundimuns, and you shiver at the many eyeballs that seem to follow you. Beside you, Miya retrieves his wand, inching closer to the cluster of slime. Out of the kindness of your heart, you pull him back. "Don't aggravate them." You warn him. "They'll spit acid at you and you'll ruin your pretty boy face." 

Miya sends you a toothy smile. "Aw, shucks! Ya think I'm pretty?"   
  
"Yea." You grouse. "Pretty insolent. Your bad boy reputation would be as good as dead if you ended up looking like a melted Murtlap."

"Wow. Thank ya for saving me, _princess_. How will I ever repay ya?" His eyes are teasing, mouth curled upwards, set to spew out more dumb stuff. "Will a kiss, suffice?" 

"Ew, as if, tuna breath." You retort. "Better chew some gum if ya ever want a-" You smack straight into Hagrid when the half-giant suddenly freezes in place. You rub your face, peeking over the half-giant to see what the hold up was. The lantern that you're holding clatters to the ground. 

You had always dreamed of meeting a unicorn numerous times - unicorns approached maidens with the purest of hearts, and after discovering that they weren't some myth that Mugglefolk had made up, you were sure that you'd see one of those magnificent creatures one day. But instead of a glowing, white beauty approaching you, you approached it instead with the utmost horror and disgust. It's carcass was ripped open, maggots and fleas swarming over the raw flesh. The horn seems to have been gnawed off, and it's face was heavily mutilated. 

  
"Could it be wolves?" You ask the groundskeeper once you manage to maintain some sort of composure. 

The half-giant shakes his head. "Them wolves her' were raised by Albus Dumbledore himself. Intelligent lot, they are. Would never hurt no unicorn. It looks mor' like the werk of werewolves, but 'ta...tha's the problem. There ain't no werewolves in the Forbidden Forest." 

"Ya must be kiddin'." Miya's voice is unnaturally level. "I heard about the rumors that savage, man-eatin' werewolves were livin' out here." 

"Tha' was somethin' said to keep yer curious lot outta th' forest." Hagrid replies, before realizing his mistake. "Dun tell a no'one tha I said that. You kids should keep outta here, yer understand?"

Which was exactly why it made so much sense that you and Miya were here in the Forbidden Forest in the first place. You sadly look at the mauled corpse of a once elegant creature. Surely there had to be some sort of spell that could bring it back to life? Surely there could be a way to figure out what kind of fate the unicorn had been met with? 

"Alright, kids. I need yer to stan' guard. Let meh know if ya see anything movin' around." With a wave of his umbrella, Hagrid turns a nearby rock into a large brown sack. "I'm gonna clean up ta' unicorn." As in, stuffing the bloody carcass into the sack and carrying it back to Hogwarts. You fight the urge to puke as you pick your lantern back up, looking away from the bloody scene and into the mound of trees that surrounded you. 

"It has to be a werewolf." Miya hisses to you. "There's no way it could be anythin' else." 

"Didn't you hear Hagrid, dummy?" You hiss back. "There's no werewolves in the forest."  
  
"Ya can't cross out the possibility. What other animal could have done it?" 

"I don't know." You say honestly. "What I do know, however, is that there's a very sexy Glumbumble on your shoulder."   
  
Miya looks down just in time to see the grey, furry, insect bite into his neck. "Ow, the heck?!" He hurriedly slaps the buzzing insect away, mourning at the sight of a rainbow coloured bite on his skin. He then directs his attention to you. "Akira, suck out the poison for me!" 

You blanch. "Are you stupid? It's not venomous." Miya doesn't look very reassured. "You'll be fine." You hastily add. 

  
After Hagrid was finished playing undertaker, the three of you trudge your way back, carefully stepping over vines and making sure to avoid any cobwebs this time. You hear a squeak come from next to you. Miya's face is a bit purple, beads of sweat starting to drip down his forehead. His eyes are puffy, and there are dark circles beneath them. 

"I...can't...move...anymore." Miya huffs. "I...feel...heavy." Talk about lacking stamina.

"Just a few more minutes, Miya." You try to encourage. "We'll be back soon, right Hagrid?" 

"Tha's right. Hang in there - must be the smell tha's makin' yer sick." 

Miya continues to amble on, doing his best to ignore the burning sensation in his skin. The stench of death was unbearable and it only worsened his migraine. His legs felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, and he rubs off his sweat with the sleeve of his robe. Suddenly, a cold sensation envelopes him, a thousand needles pricking into his skin. Another wave of unicorn carcass hits him like a storm, and he immediately flings his hands over his furry nose as a wave of nausea flips his stomach. Wait, furry?! Miya lets out another squeak, the hairs on his ears and tail raising up.

"What-what the bloody hell?!" He curses, although it comes out more like a purr. He immediately drops down, clinging to the ground on all fours, his feet clawing into the soil. A series of screamy barks leave his mouth. 

  
You whirl around, only to find a dotted outline of where Miya should have been. A blue arrow points downward, guiding your eyes down to meet a fluffy orange fox curled on the ground, whining. Holy shirt, was that Miya?!?! You motion Hagrid to stop, and you gingerly lean down to pat the fox. The fox looks up at you with amber eyes, as he lets out another whine before hopping into your lap. The fox nuzzles against the fabric of your robe. You notice a flash of rainbow on a small patch of his fur. Dang, it really be Miya. 

You glance at Hagrid, looking for some sort of explanation. This wasn't supposed to happen. These things only happened in fantasy books, only in the fairy tales that your father had read to you when you were little. But this is Hogwarts, this is the wizarding world where fantasy became reality. 

"Let's get 'em checked by Jirai'ya. Yer alrigh' with carryin' em?" 

You nod, biting your lip. This was sort of your fault. It had to be the aftereffects of the little treat that you had given him. Reluctantly, you explain to Hagrid about the special cookie you had made, how Miya had turned up with ears and tails, and how the Glumbumble had left a rainbow-coloured mark on his neck. Hagrid listened intently, asking you to come along to the Headmaster's Office to explain everything to Jiraiya himself. This was going to be a long night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry, i can't do justice with hagrid's accent. forgive me ;-;
> 
> HCR - hufflepuff common room  
> SCR - slytherin common room  
> and so on. 
> 
> school as officially started, so updates may be slow.  
> ahhh why did i take AP Physics, when i clearly knew what kind of math monstrosities i was getting myself into?! ;-;


	8. C6H12O6, yes please

"OH MEH GOD!" The groundskeeper's eyes bulged out in surprise. "Tha' is a BOSS Zefron poster." The sack of unicorn carcass gracelessly plops onto the floor.

"It's an antique from my old man." Jiraiya boasts. "Ol' Albus always liked to brag that he loved Zac Efron the most." His feet are lazily propped up on the mahogany desk, papers strewn all over the tabletop. "Excuse the mess - I was working on my latest novel. How'd my genin do?" With a wave of his wand, a bowl of candy appears in his palm. "Nougat?" 

You shake your head, and let Miya down. The fox is reluctant to leave your arms, and he brushes his body against your legs, trying to get your attention. "Professor," you started, "is there a way to turn my classmate back into a human again?" 

"Go on, lass." Hagrid prompts, "Tell Prof Ji'raiya wha' yer told meh in the forest." 

You reiterate the details of what had happened to Jiraiya Dumbledore, from the cookie to the glumbumble. Jiraiya listens intently, occasionally asking questions here and there. "What were the main ingredients in the batter?" You hesitate. "...Sloth brains and cockroach chips, professor." Miya scratches at the leg of your pants, clearly offended. Instead of scorning you for your antics, Jiraiya seems thoughtful, tapping his fingers on his knee and humming. 

"The cookie itself is harmless," the headmaster explains, "but the infusion of sloth and cockroach bits may have activated his fox genes, and then the contact with the glumbumble must have amplified it." 

Hold on, so the special cookie didn't actually work? You'd have to file a complaint to Semi later. 

"That Miya kid comes from a line of folk that has strong ties with the fox deities - which grant them the ability to turn into foxes. It used to be more common back in the ancient days, but those who could transform grew less and less. I reckon that the other twin is probably capable of transforming too. It'll take time for 'em to learn how to control it, as with everything, it takes a bit of practice." 

"Prof, isn't tha' similar to Animagus folk?" 

"Good question, Hagrid." Jiraiya sweeps his feet off his desk, opting to slouch forward this time. You notice the dark spots underneath his ancient eyes. "Unlike animagi, the Miya are blessed with the will of the kitsune, which allowed them to easily transition between fox and man. It used to be that the Miya offspring were born with fox ears and tails attached to them. However, as I'd said earlier, those who are able to transform have become fewer and fewer. Animigi, on the other hand, are regular magic folk that choose to train themselves to morph, with the risks of backfiring and botching their transformations." 

"Told ya that I was special." 

Firm hands pressed into your shoulder, and you turn your head to see a very human Miya casually looking down at you. His shoulders were patched with dirt and his scrawny chest had grass stains here and there - you stiffen as you realize that he wasn't wearing any clothes. His eyes lock onto yours, unfazed at his current state. You are too paralyzed to move, too mortified to avert your gaze. 

"Could I get some clothes?" Miya requests. "It's a lil' chill-Mmph!" Hagrid, who had a sudden need to bleach his eyes, practically throws the robe-transformed nougats his way. 

"Can I go now?" You squeak.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Semi." You crack the two eggs into your cauldron, beating them vigorously with your chopsticks.

"What's up?" The second year is precariously pouring the bag of flour into a tiny funnel cup, his hands steady as he waits for the balance scale to tip to 80 grams. 

"What was so special in the cookies that we made?" 

"What was so special?" Semi repeats, feeling a bit hurt. "It was special because I invented those cookies." 

You unscrew the milk - "2%? Where's the good milk at?" You grumble as you pour it into the mixing bowl. You watch Semi work."I never pegged you to be a food entrepreneur. Meant the effects." 

"I'm a culinary connoisseur." Semi corrects. He takes out a plastic chopping board, breaking the mound of dark chocolate with a loud crack. "It slows down the unlucky bloke's speech and makes them grow antennas - you didn't hand them out?" 

"Yea, I did. It just didn't work very well." You half lie. To be truthful, you only had given a cookie to Miya, and when you went back to your room to get another, the entire batch had disappeared. Semi is quiet as he chops up the chocolate with precision. Semi is dismayed. You could tell with the way that he chews on his lips in afterthought. He stops his motions when all the chocolate has turned into fine bits of powder, swiping the blade with his finger to make sure all the chocolate got into the bowl. 

"You are still my newbie novice." Semi explains, "There is still a long path in front of you - there is much for you to practice, and I will carry out my duty as your mentor so that you can learn the way of the baker." He slides over the bowl of dry ingredients to you. "Mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Pour it into the pan when you're done - it should bake for thirty minutes. Got it, kouhai?" 

"...Yes, senpai." You mutter to yourself, as you obediently follow his instructions. 

"Eh, what was that?" Semi Eita had the gall to put his hand over his ear, "I couldn't quite hear that." 

You throw him your most intimidating glare. "Yes, oh great Semi-senpai." 

"Mmm, something smells good." Oohira hums as he strolls into the mini baking station you had set up in the common room. You carefully pull out the pan of brownies from the mini-oven. The smell of chocolate fills the air as you set it down on the table. Quickly, you remove your gloves and reach for the knife. 

"I have taught my apprentice well." Semi states from his pile of textbooks. "Gordan Ramsey would be proud." 

"Gordon Ramsey is a wizard?" You inquire as you hand over a plate of brownies to Oohira. He offers you a smile and a thank you before he digs in. 

"He's known as the number 1 chef in the Wizarding World - he was a DADA professor here back in '96. He even held a MagicChef junior competition. It's a shame that he retired from the position. I would have loved to be able to compete in something as prestigious as that." 

Oohira chuckles, "You would have had a shot, I think. Akira-san, those brownies are delectable." 

"Did I hear brownies?" An excited face pops into the baking station. His brown hair is a bit unruly and his robes are a bit dirty and ruffled. 

"Hey, Asahi-san." You greet the third year. "Would you like to try one?" You offer him a plate. He happily takes it, popping the entire slice into his mouth. "Mmpf, these are good." He says through mouthfuls. 

"Finally managed to show up, Azumane?" Semi says a little coldly. "You've been skipping Quidditch practice all week." 

Asahi sheepishly runs a hand through his messy hair. "I apologize for my absence. I've been a bit busy recently." 

"Busy rolling around in mud?" Semi narrows his eyes as he looks Asahi up and down. "Well, whatever. We don't need you to win anyway." 

"Semi-san," Oohira reprimands, "don't be so rude." 

"I'm just saying it as it is." Semi remarks. "Maybe the rumors of Asahi hanging around with yankiis were true."  
You recall Ame mentioning the rumors around Asahi, about how she believed that they were lies. Ame was a reasonable person who saw the best in others, and you don't think badly of Asahi either. You offer Asahi what hoped to be a reassuring smile. "Don't let Semi get to you, he's gets cranky when he hasn't had his glucose." You whisper. 

"I heard that." The salty boy grumbles. "Whatever, I don't care. Beating up other punks better get you in shape for that bludger." 

"I-I'm going to go shower now." Asahi excuses himself hurriedly. 

When he's gone, you rip another piece of brownie from the pan, and march over to Semi's spot on the sofa.

You practically shove it into his mouth. 

"Mmph..!?!" Semi is caught off balance as he falls back into the cushions. 

"Eat up, you big baby." You scowled, smearing bits of chocolate all over his chin. You step back, cleaning off the leftover crumbles from your hands with a towel. "Talk to me when you aren't a salty harpy." 

"Insubordination!" Semi calls after you.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"You're the only teacher that I want detention from, professor."

You were in charms class this morning, and it seemed like Lyla wasn't going to stop flirting with Akiteru-sensei. You don't mind though, you quite like the boldness of the Ravenclaw girl, despite being turned down a multitude of times. Everyone else seemed to turn their attention to Oikawa now, but Lyla continued to pursue the Charms teacher. You aren't exactly sure why, but you wanted to be that girl's friend. You turn around, light nudging Ame, who was diligently taking notes in her seat behind you. 

"How'd the confession go?" You ask her.

Ame shrugs. "I didn't." She whispers back. "It was embarrassing to ever think that...you know." She gives a quick glance at Akiteru. "Like I said, there's plenty of fish in the sea." 

Beside you, Sugawara diligently does his work, all the while listening to your conversation with mild interest. You didn't seem like the type to gossip about boys in the middle of a class, but it isn't his business. For him, it was a source of entertainment. You and Ame don't seem to notice him eavesdropping, so the two of you continue to talk in hushed voices. 

"Anyway, how'd the date with Akaashi go?" Ame suddenly asks. "I can't believe you ditched me for a boy. You don't have to pretend that you're not interested, you know. Your secret's safe with me." 

"As my homie Benjamin Franklin once said, 'Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." 

Sugawara stiffens. Maybe he shouldn't have listened in. You weren't actually going to kill him, were you? 

"Besides," you went on, "You didn't ask me until after Akaashi asked me, so don't go jumping to conclusions in that big head of yours." You turn back around, because the interesting part of charms have started. Akiteru instructs the class to try and cast Lumos, and you proudly withdraw your wand from your pocket, waving it in a loopy motion. 

"LOO-mos," You enunciate. A white light appears at the tip of your wand. 

"Wow, so you have been studying after all, [Y/N]-san." Sugawara says, as he also successfully casts his charm. 

"It only took me one trip to the forbidden forest." You boast, waving the tip of your wand in his face. "What can I say? I'm a natural."

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Oikawa's outing at the lake wasn't as painful as he thought it would be. In fact, he'd like to think that he did a pretty good job out there. All he had to do was keep the girl talking while he listened. With all the charm he possessed, it was too easy. He and Naomi had sat by the lake for an hour until he had politely excused himself, saying that he needed to do some homework. He had walked back to the Ravenclaw tower, all the while wondering what he had done the past sixty minutes. He had whined and relentlessly bothered Iwaizumi, trying to get his curious mind off of what adventure you were having without him.

Well, he wasn't going to despair anymore. With a dungbomb tucked securely in his school bag, he confidently wandered down to the second floor. You were idly leaning against one of the walls, practicing a spell when he came up to meet you. Together, the two of you make your way down to the dungeons, idly bantering about the most random of things. 

"Ready, [Y/N]-chan?" He whispers to you as the two of you reach the dungeons. You nod, and Oikawa leans in closer to examine the stone wall in front of him. "Pureblood." He mutters. The stones began to pull apart, revealing a dark entrance that led to the Slytherin Common Room. He and you walk the stretch of the narrow path, stopping right at the area where the entrance opened up into the dingy common room. 

"Here goes..." Oikawa lights up the end of the fuse, proceeding to roll it into the room. "Run!" So the two of you run as fast as your feet carry you, and halfway down the tunnel, you hear an audible BOOM resound behind you. You pinch your nose to evade the stench as you continue your way out of the dungeons. 

"D-do you...think...we'd...get...caught?" Oikawa pants.  
"No one saw us, did they?" 

The two of you lie on the tables of an empty classroom, catching for air. Your feet dangle over the edge, your arms outstretched on the tabletop. Oikawa quietly watches you as you catch your breath. His heart is still racing from the run, blood still pumping with adrenaline. The burning in his cheeks are slowly flushing away as he slowly starts to ease back into his normal pulse rate. He wanted to do more stupid stuff with you, because one stupid stunt wasn't enough to relieve him of his mischief. He wanted to pull off risky pranks, wanted to plan escape routes and silly missions. He doesn't quite know why, but he quite likes spending more time with you. But it was hard - you always seemed to be busy doing all sorts of things, and he always had to come up with all sorts of excuses for you to set some of the time you had for him. Which was why he found himself opening his mouth again once more, requesting one silly thing after another. 

"[Y/N]-chan, show me how to play volleyball."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry for the overly cracky intro - i couldn't help myself
> 
> i saw a piece of fanart with semi + the harpy eagle, and the resemblance is uncanny. those things look so angry and cute with their permanent 'why are u bothering me' face. just look -  
> https://live.staticflickr.com/3459/3197536907_4ff022dfd7_h.jpg
> 
> yes, i referenced imagitory's hp and the lack of lamb sauce, it's a really good read: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12805206/chapters/29490114#workskin


	9. Serves Like Jagger

Oikawa was a natural when it came to volleyball. It was as if his fingertips were meant to set and man, could that boy jump. His serves were pretty solid for someone who hadn't played before. When you had first tried your hand at underhand serving, it was a painstakingly disappointing feeling when the ball skewed a completely different direction, before hitting the net. You had spent the afternoons practicing serves by yourself, trying and trying and trying to get the ball to go straight. You still weren't great at it, which was why you had opted to go overhand.

SWACK. 

The force burns your palms, as you send the ball hurtling towards Iwaizumi over the net. He receives it, launching the ball towards Oikawa, who sets it. Iwaizumi runs to the left, jumping and spiking. The ball hits the grass, before it bounces back up into your hands. Unfortunately, there wasn't a gym inside Hogwarts, which was ridiculous for such a prestigious institute. So you had to settle for the grounds. You didn't even have a net or a court, so you had to improvise a bit by creating invisible boundaries. The dent in the grass served the area of where the net would be, and the three of you sort of just space it out from there. 

"Toss it a bit higher." Iwaizumi remarks. "That was way too low, Shitty-kawa." 

"Yes, ma'am." Oikawa salutes. 

Iwaizumi promptly hits the back of his head. 

"Ow - what'd you do that for? [Y/N]-chan, Iwa-chan is being mean!" Oikawa shouts to you. You give him a dismissive wave. "K. You wanna serve now, Oikawa? Iwaizumi will receive and I'll practice setting." Iwaizumi heads over to your side of the 'court,' him stepping to the back while you take the front.

Oikawa twirls the ball in his hands, watching it become a blur white. One. SLAP. Two. SLAP. Three. SLAP. Pause. Left foot forward. Right foot forward. Left hand tosses, right hand...

WHAM! 

The ball hurtles over Iwaizumi's head, slamming into the grass behind him. The ball lulls back and forth, before coming to a full stop. 

"How was that, [Y/N]-chan? Iwa-chan?" Oikawa proudly juts out his chest. "Aren't I the best?" 

"That was out, Idiot-kawa." 

"Not bad for an overhand though, underling." You comment. "You sure that you haven't done this before?" 

Oikawa gives you a toothy smile. Iwaizumi shoots him a wary look, but like a good friend, he keeps his mouth shut.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"We need to recruit more people." You tell Iwaizumi. "It's kind of boring just playing with two other people. No offense."

"None taken." 

"Ideally, we need to have twelve people so we can play a full game, but finding three other people will be a good start. That way, we can go 3v3." You continue, "But I don't really know anyone who plays volleyball...oh, I know!" You slam your fist against your palm. This little motion causes Iwaizumi to jump. "I know some of my huffie homies might be interested, but you ask around too, okay?" 

Iwaizumi reluctantly nods. He isn't exactly comfortable with the idea of walking up to his fellow Ravenclaw recruits asking him to join. He didn't have the charisma that Oikawa possessed, which, come to think of it, why haven't you asked Oikawa? 

"Anyway, I'm going to class. See you around, Zumi!"

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"Eh?! Why not?" You ask Sugawara as the two of you trek down to the greenhouses. "It'll be a blast!"

Suga meekly rubs the back of his neck. "I already promised some Gryffindors to help them with their potions homework, so...maybe next time?" 

"You'll only goof off with them and get nothing done." You inform him. "Like last time." 

"I couldn’t help it! Nishinoya and Tanaka were hitting on this Ravenclaw chick - can you blame me for having fun?" Sugawara argues, suddenly bursting out in laughter. "T-tanaka, pfft, went down on his knees and proposed to her! And she outright rejected him!" 

“I guess I can’t.” You eye him, unamused. Outward appearances were truly deceiving. When you had first met him in the second grade, he was a cute, quiet kid that mostly kept to himself and got good grades while the children around him ate rubber cement and wreaked havoc amok the room. You extend your fingers, reaching to pull at his cheek. Huh. It was just like playdoh. 

"Aw, what was that for, [Y/N]?" Sugawara gushes. "You're so touchy sometimes." 

When everyone arrives at the field, Professor Moriyama quickly debriefs about the Mandrakes that were covered in the last lesson. The short woman leads the class into the greenhouses. "Grab a set of earmuffs, and make sure that it's snug!" She singsongs, "The scream of a mandrake is very deadly, so please be careful!" 

So basically, there was a danger of death. What was with Hogwarts and their love of living life on the edge? Not that you minded though. It was all farts and giggles until someone got a wand stuck up their nose.

After you've made sure that you've properly put them on, (you had made Sugawara check them thrice) you pull on your pair of gardening gloves. They are two inches too long for your fingers, but you’d grow into them in no time. 

"Alright, gather up everyone!" Moriyama-sensei shouts, "I'll give you guys a demonstration first, okay?" In a fluid motion, Moriyama uproots the plant, and your hands immediately fly to cover your ears. Even with the earmuffs, the shrieking was unbearable. Were you wearing it incorrectly? But Sugawara had checked them for you. He was supposed to be reliable. Then you notice that everyone else seems to be trying to smush in their ears, so you relax a bit. After Moriyama replants the mandrake, she announces that it was now everyone else's turn. 

You warily eye the plant as you wrap your hands around the it’s stems. It's heavy, you realize, as you struggle to pull it up. A painful cacophony of loud screaming envelopes you, and you could feel your ears bleeding - the voices having been amplified a tenfold as the baby mandrakes cried and cried. You twist your wrist, grunting as the plant slowly inches upwards. You pull and pull and pull and...

**ARYGARORRRARAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAA**

The entire room falls silent, save for the big ass baby mandrake wailing under the palm of your hand. All the other mandrakes have long been buried back in the soil, save for yours. It's at least twice the size of the other plants. It's heavy. You hover it over the next pot. The mandrake kicks and kicks it's long legs, one of it's trunk-like thighs carving a cut on your outstretched arm. At the same time, its grubby hands pull at your gloved fingers. The pain stings. You let go. The mandrake falls to the floor with a loud plop, your too large gloves going down with it. The mandrake falls silent for a moment, and you wonder if it's dead, as you cup your bleeding wrist. Then it starts lowkey - highkey bawling, throwing a dramatic tantrum on the floor, wailing and wailing. You wanted to grab it by the neck and throw the beast out the window, but no way were you going to touch that big ass devil. 

"Oh my!" The professor hurries over, leaning down to gently scoop the mandrake up by its leaf, disgusting, hair. "Don't cry, my darling, let's get you back home." She practically coos, as she puts plant Satan back into the planters. Good. Keep that thing buried. You freeze as she glances over to you. Instead of deducting points and yelling your ear off, she gives you a sympathetic smile. "That cut looks painful, sweetie." She says, examining your wound. "But it's nothing that can't be patched up. Akaashi-kun, won't you be a dear and escort her to the Hospital Wing?" 

Akaashi, who had been observing from the sidelines with his peers, nods and steps up. You can feel the eyes of the entire class stare at you. Your fellow first years were supposed to look at you with reverence and fear, not with pity. You avert your gaze, suddenly finding the patch of mold on the ground very interesting. You wondered if the Clabbert ever made it's way home. 

"Let's go, Akira-san." Akaashi says gently, shaking you from your reverie. You whisper a mute ‘sorry.’ 

"You're bleeding a lot." 

"Thanks for noticing, Brains." You snap. "That bloody nut goblin narrowly missed my artery." 

Akaashi looks at you wordlessly. You sigh. "...Sorry. I...just...ugh." 

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize." 

"..." 

"Come in, come in, dear! Come sit!" Madam Pomfrey ushers you to sit on the bed, and you awkwardly plop yourself down on what you hoped to be a sterile mattress. You recount what had happened, and she motions for you to show her your hand. The elderly lady kindly smiles down at you. 

"We'll fix you up in a jiffy, dear." She reassures before looking over her shoulder. "Shiemi-chan!" 

A blonde girl that had been sitting at the small desk in the corner, hobbles over to her. Judging by the flowery kimono that she was wearing, you deduce that she probably wasn't a student at this school. She looked too small to be one, now that you have a close look at her. 

"Shiemi-chan, this Nee-san was cut by a mandrake. Could you prepare some medicine for her?" 

Shiemi looks up at you, her expectant green eyes laced with timidness.You stare at her, before you realize you're supposed to say something. "Uh, hi." 

"H-hi." The blonde girl squeaks out. 

"You're scaring her." Akaashi says beside the bed. 

"N-no, it’s alright! Nee-san’s not scary! U-um! Nii-chan!" She stutters. A green cloud poofs beside her head, and a tiny green thing drifts down to sit on her shoulder. 

"Nii!" The green thing exclaimed. 

"Woah, is that a demon?" You suddenly become intrigued. "Did you just summon a demon?" 

"Akira-san." Akaashi warns. 

"N-Nii-chan's not a demon. He's m-my familiar!" She chirps, "Nii-chan, can you fix up some Aloe Vera and Gum trees to bandage Nee-san's hand? Can you check for infections?" 

"Eucalyptus, Shiemi-chan." Pomfrey corrects her, "You need to use the real names if you want to pass the Healer's exam next month." 

Woah, this little girl was already moving onto bigger things? You’re impressed, but also a bit disheartened. You were already eleven now, almost a teenager, and what had you done with your life? You were too young to have an existential crisis, too young to know what it meant, but you aren’t new to the feeling of dread that swarms your stomach. 

“I-I’ll take care of you now.” Shiemi stutters. “Nee-san.” 

The green thing juts out it's stomach, and you stare at the growing stems and the ripping of verdant skin as two different plants sprout out from it’s gut. The aloe vera is quickly applied to your cut, the gel cooling to your skin. The leaves of the Eucalyptus wrap around your wrist, acting like a bandage. 

"Professor Moriyama wanted to try a hand at using plant medicine on students, saying that it was soothing and all. Personally, I prefer to use my healing potions - they don't taste the most pleasant, but they work real fast." Pomfrey monologues. 

"Can I pet it...?" You point to the little green man. Shiemi's eyes brighten up. "Nii-chan wouldn't mind!" 

"Nii!" Nii-chan agrees, cuddling into the palm of your hand. Gingerly, you pet the adorable creature. 

"Thank you, Nii-chan." You whisper. 

"Don't forget to thank Shiemi-san and Madam Pomfrey." Akaashi says before promptly bowing to the two ladies. You follow suit. "Thank you, Shiemi-chan. Madam Pomfrey.”

"Take care of Nee-san for me, Onii-san!" Shiemi calls as the two of you take your exit. 

The two of you exchange looks. You raise an eyebrow.

" お願いします, Onii-san." You jeer. 

"..." 

“What’s with that look?” 

“I don’t have that look.” Akaashi suddenly stops. He retrieves his wand. “Show me your hands, Akira. Can you put on your gloves?” You don’t question him as you pull on your gloves - one was a bit torn than the other no thanks to the mandrake. Akaashi flicks his wand. “Reparo.” The distressed leather immediately patches up, all back to new. Then he taps his wand a couple of times against your fingers. The glove shrinks until it fits snugly against your fingers. Akaashi does the same treatment to the other glove. You stretch your fingers and ball them up a few times. You were impressed. You’d have to get Akaashi to teach you this charm - all the broken plates it would have saved! 

“Thanks, Akaashi.”  
“You don’t have to thank me. I just didn’t want to end up walking you to the hospital wing again.”  
“What, am I just a sheep to you?”  
“You’re a badger.” Akaashi deadpans. “You badger people.”  
A moment of silence, then - 

"Akaashi?" 

"Hn?" 

"Shiemi-san? Really?" You cackle. "You might as well have said Shiemi-sama if you wanted to get into the theatrics." 

Akaashi frowns. Why is he always hanging around with you again? 

Oh right, because he was her plus-one.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"But Semi!" You protest, pouting on your best pouty face. Oikawa had really been rubbing off on you.

"No." 

"But Semi!" Help a desperate girl out, won't you?" 

"You can't change my mind." 

You edge closer to him, leaning the side of your body to his. 

"A super cute AND a super sexy chick will be there." You wiggle your eyebrows.You didn't know him well enough to know which type he preferred so you decided to throw both into the mix. 

Reon chuckles. "That kind of thing doesn't work on Semi-san." 

Semi scoffs. "Tch." 

You facepalm yourself. "Well, duh! I've been so stupid all this time!" 

"Obvs, duh." 

"Who needs cute or sexy girls when you got me? I'm the cutest, and you know it.” 

"No thanks." 

"That's cold, Semi-san." 

"No wonder they call you a half-hearted cook. You're as semi-salty as they come." 

"That's weak. I expected better coming from my kouhai." 

"Sorry that my senpai isn't half the man that he claims that he is." 

Semi shoots you a glare. 

"I can't argue with that, Semi-san. Akira-san does have a point." 

You jeer at him, waggling your eyebrows, taunting him. "Reon-senpai, you're being too nice. Semi's not even semi of a man. He's a little ickle boy." 

A defeated sigh. "When's the game?" 

You and Oohira high five each other. See, that wasn't too hard. All you needed to do in order to bait a competitive kid like Semi was to attack his pride and doubt his manliness. Now you needed one last member. 

"There's actually someone that I'd like to bring." Oohira suggests. 

"Go for it."

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

When Oohira had said that he'd bring a friend, you were expecting some kind of brainy, chaotic good, jock, not a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man. Tendou Satori donned his hair red red - not the bright red apple hair that burned your eyes, but the dark crimson hair that almost goes unnoticed.

"Oh, my hair?" He purrs. (A boy like that shouldn't purr, but who were you to judge?) "I strung up some mudbloods and bled them out. They make for an effective dye." 

You knew he was kidding, but was he? You weren't quite sure. 

"What did you say?" Semi growls. "What is that sniveling snake doing here?" 

"Why did you bring along second years, [Y/N]-chan?" 

"What's a mudblood?" 

"It's a really really bad insult for muggleborns. Sort of like the C-word." 

"The C-word is too versatile. It's more like the N-word. It's a big no-no word to call a certain group." 

"Geez, you Hufflepuffs get offended about everything! Relax!" 

"No, I refuse to play a game with you! Aren't you too pureblooded to play such a muggle sport?" 

"Hey, muggles are great!" You interject. "Semi-san, don't embarrass me in front of your peers." 

"He just insulted-" 

"None of that, senpai." You throw the ball at him. "Just beat his ass and prove him wrong. Whoever loses needs to do the winner's bidding for a week!" 

**Hogwarts First Volleyball Match of the Century :: The Grand Showdown Begins**

**Team Cute:**  
-♔Oikawa Tooru  
-♞Oohira Reon  
-♞Semi Eita

**Team Watch Out My Dudes:**  
-♔Akira [Y/N]  
-♞Iwaizumi Hajime  
-♞Tendou Satori

**[T E A M C U T E] ⓥⓢ [T E A M W A T C H O U T M Y D U D E S]**

**3**

**2**

**1**

**START!**


	10. Winners and Losters

He sauntered over to your table, donning his favorite shit-eating grin. "Heard ya dropped a baby mandrake in herbology."

"Okay, and?" You ruthlessly acknowledged, smashing the mistletoe berries into bits of berry jam. 

"It's a concern to me, ya know." Atsumu continues, "What if ya drop ya baby-" 

SPLAT. 

Bits of mistletoe jelly splatter over him when you jab your pestle into his face. His countenance is unwavering. 

"Ya supposed to put the mistletoe over my head, not in my face." 

"Mr. Miya. Refrain from bothering Miss Akira and get to work, please." Nekomata cuts in. Miya makes a kissy face before heading back to a very annoyed Miya Osamu. Osamu shoots you an unimpressed look. You merely waggle your eyebrows in return.

"How much is two pinches, Suga?" You scrutinize over the instructions of the Forgetfulness Potion. 

"I forgot." 

"Very funny, grandpa." 

"It's called stress!" Sugawara insists. "Ah, how I lament for my once shiny black hair..." 

Sugwara shows you how it's done, because god did Hufflepuff need some house points after all the antics that you've pulled. He nods approvingly as you add in the mistletoe goo, and stir the pot five times, anticlockwise. A wave of your wand, and there. All done. You really didn’t get the point of a forgetfulness potion. It caused an unknown degree of memory loss, and no one knew what memories the victim would forget. But by now, it was evident that wizardfolk liked to take a lot of unneeded risks just for the kicks of it. The only good use of the potion would either be some sort of devious sabotage. Or maybe some tragic love story where the brewer gives it to their beloved in hopes of forgetting their sad past and blah blah blah...plot twist! The drinker loses all the happy memories, maybe forgets who the brewer is, and alas - more angst ensues. Hmm. It would be a good plan B to fall back on - being a director. Did movies even exist in this world? 

"So..." You watch Sugawara as he caps his vial of the forgetfulness potion. "Got time for a match tomorrow, or do you have a date with your Gryffindors?" 

"...Well, [Y/N]-san. Tanaka and Yuu really needed help on their transfiguration homework, so I won't be able to make it." 

Wow. Rude. Rude, rude, grandpa-haired boy. "Can't Enoshita help them?" 

"He's busy with Quidditch practice..." 

"Suit yourself. Just know that you're missing out." 

"Awe, does [Y/N]-san miss me?"

"Is that wrong? Do you not want me to miss you?" You retort, "Fine. You're dead to me." 

"Aweeee, to think that you've missed me that much!" Sugawara gushes, fanning his hand over his forehead. "I guess I can't have you zoning out during volleyball because you've been missing me! I'll just have to cancel tomorrow's study session, eh?"

"Who are you again?"

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

You closely examine the bag of chocolates. You frown.

"I asked for dark choco-locos, Tooru." You say scornfully, tossing the chocolates back at him. You make a point to dramatically cross your legs and rest your arms on the armrests of the blue single seater. All you really needed was a crown on your head and you would be halfway there to running this entire birdnest. The grandiose Ravenclaw common room was completely on another level compared to the earthiness of the Hufflepuff common room. It was like going from a peasant’s cottage to a king’s palace. There was so much more space.  
The common room was constructed as a one, big circular room with banners and a giant chandelier. You envied the periwinkle ceiling that glittered with shifting white stars. You wanted to catch those stars with a net and seal them in your room. The blue walls were covered with Van Gogh’s work and the statue of David stood guard right next to the door. Someone had generously taped a leaf over his private part. 

"Milko-choco is the best flavour, [Y/N]-chan!" Oikawa protests. "Hmph! If I had given any other girl chocolates, they'd be head over heels for me!" 

"Milko-choco will make your teeth rot." You retort. "You're so whiny." 

"[Y/N]-chan! Appreciate me a bit more!" Oikawa wails, dramatically flailing his arms about. "I went out of my way for you!" 

As if. All he had to do was send a letter to his parents and ask for dark choco-locos. Dark choco-locos. It wasn't really that hard to ask for, but that fool had went and gotten you milko-locos. You hated milko-locos. They were always too sweet and you were too sophisticated for such a vanilla flavor. Oikawa Tooru was truly a disgrace to you and your presence. 

"Sucks to be you, loser." You deadpan. "Bow down to the queen." 

"[Y/N]-chan!" He protests yet again, but he does so anyway, kowtowing into the embroidered bronze rug. He stands back up, unwrapping his scarf as he does so. You watch him loop it into an infinity wrap, tying the ends of the scarf into a loose knot. Oikawa looks at his shoddy handiwork for a bit before approaching you and placing the scarf on your head. 

"What was that for?" You ask him suspiciously, gingerly touching the woolen material. 

"Careful, [Y/N]-chan, you don't want to dethrone yourself just after I'd crowned you." 

"I don't want a sad coronation anyway." You say, throwing the scarf back at him, the faint smell of cleanser sweeping past you. Were people starting skincare routines early now, or were you just behind? 

"At least take my chocolate, [Y/N]-chan!" 

"I don't like that flavor. Give it to one of your fangirls. Appease them." You didn't really like the way some of them stared at you whenever Oikawa was hanging around you, it gave you the creeps. Besides, being crowned in a scarf was just insulting. The improv was kinda cute though...

The entrance swings open again, and you go back to your stiff regal pose to greet your incoming Ravenclaw subject. The subject's face is covered with a book, the kid blatantly read-walking into the room. No, that wasn't how a subject should greet you. You wanted to say something along the lines of, 'Off with your head,' or the like, but you weren't that confident to be saying such random things to strangers. Luckily, the stranger speaks before you do say something stupid. 

"Akira-san, what are you doing here?" 

You jump in surprise, uncrossing your legs and trying to look more casual. "U-uh wassup, Akaashi? Fancy seeing you here." 

"This is my common room. What are you doing here?" He repeats, studying you carefully. Oikawa looks back and forth between the two of you. 

"I'm claiming my kingdom." You blurt out, not realizing how stupid it sounded until it flew past your mouth. You decide to quickly change the subject. "By the way, Akaashi, do you want to play volleyball with us tomorrow?" 

"What?" Oikawa hisses, "You didn't even consult me!" 

"Oikawa would love to play with you." You turn to the said boy. "Right, underling?" You hiss back at him. 

Oikawa grumbles. "You better be good." 

Akaashi blinks. "What-"

"Drag Bokuto along too! Tell him it's worth ditching Quidditch practice for." You cut Akaashi off, not wanting to hear one more person ask the dreaded 'what is volleyball' question. With that being sad, you grab your school bag and dash out the door. 

"What time..." Akaashi finishes. He knows that he should be studying for his upcoming potions exams tomorrow, but for some reason, he was curious to see you play the sport that you had gushed about the first time he had met you in the pet store. 

"5 o'clock by the Lake." Oikawa says. "Might want to not wear your robes." The last game was a total fluke, Oikawa thought. He had tripped over the hem of his robes and fallen flat on his face a few too many times. He had lost a couple of points in the process, but what he had been more concerned about was his face. His face! He couldn't live with himself if he damaged his beautiful face playing something as trivial as volleyball. 

Akaashi awkwardly watched as Oikawa obsessively checked himself out in the mirror. Animated stars and glitter swam in the oceans of his eyes. He'd seen Bokuto do something similar when he was happy. Instead of stars, there were rays of yellow stripes shooting out from around him. When Bokuto was in emo mode, the black aura and purple lines drowned his forehead and body. Akaashi himself had never had any magic emanate from him when he was feeling particularly joyful. It wasn't particularly a bad thing, because he prided himself in being able to keep his composure.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Um, Iwaizumi-san?"

Iwaizumi Hajime, who had been reading at the library, looked up, nodding towards a very fidgety Reon Oohira. He noted the container that the Hufflepuff was holding in his hands. Iwaizumi closed his book. "What's up, Oohira-san?" Iwaizumi knew exactly what was up. After Team Watch Out My Dude's volleyball victory, Oohira had really felt the need to try and placate him in some sort of way. 

Reon extended the box of Melonpan towards the first year Ravenclaw. "I made you some of these. I'm not as seasoned as Semi-san or Akira-san in baking, but I do hope you will enjoy them." 

Iwaizumi warily accepts the Melonpan. Well, this was kind of awkward. He could hear the voices of two Ravenclaw girls gossiping and whispering about the two of them in the background, but he didn't pay them any attention. "Thanks." He says, albeit a bit dryly. "You know that you don't have to do this." 

Reon fiddles with the hem of his sleeves. He offers an awkward smile. "I know, but I feel..."

Bad? Guilty? Obligated? Iwaizumi stares at the golden treats, then back at Oohira. Were all Hufflepuffs this...polite? Semi and Akira were in the same house though. Was Oohira the exception? Oohira was just too nice for this human-eat-human world. 

"I feel that you need to relax a bit, so I made those." God, that sounded so weird. Why does it sound so weird? It was a clear lie to deflect from his actual thoughts. His underclassmen might get freaked out now. Oohira could feel sweat slide down from his temple. 

"Oh." Iwaizumi's brows furrowed, and Oohira felt that he was scrutinizing every bit of him, waiting to see some sort of opening. "Well thanks. But you don't really have to next time."

Iwaizumi felt bad that Oohira was 'stuck' with him. He knew he would be a bit more comfortable with the other two devils, and he knew that Oohira felt guilty that Iwaizumi wasn't demanding anything from him. Oikawa had complained endlessly about all the stupid dumb stuff that Akira had made him do, from making him buy her chocolates to getting him to drink all sorts of prank potions. Iwaizumi thought it was pretty amusing when Oikawa had come back to the common room with his brows dyed pink and when his face had turned into an art canvas full of moustaches and rainbows. 

The next time Iwaizumi sees Oohira, Oohira hastily gives him a character bento.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Dude, what happened to you?" You unsuccessfully try to morph an incoming sneer into a look of concern as a crumpled-looking Semi unceremoniously bumbles into the Hufflepuff Common Room. He scowls at you, plopping on the couch across from you. There's tiny twigs in his disgruntled hair and traces of grass stains on his robes.

"That bastard Tendou dropped his necklace in the thatches." Semi grit his teeth, "The bloody nerve! Made me..."

"Get on your hands and knees and crawl down between the bushes to get it?" Wow. You kind of felt bad. You were kind of proud of him for taking it like a man and keeping his word. If it had been you, you would have strangled Tendou to death, but you would never lose a match to the likes of him in the first place. You watch as he pulls his knees into his chest, cradling himself back and forth. Oh no. Not this again. 

"What is the point of this life? What am I doing, living like this, as another man's servant?" Semi starts, firing as many questions as he could in one fell breath. "That utter [censored] [censored] called me his house-elf!"

"Hey, hey!" You hastily run over to him to pat his back. "That could have been a compliment, you know. He basically called you cute!" 

Semi gives you a venomous glare. Aw, you'd pissed off the already angry badger. You clear your throat and relax your face, ridding of the giggles that were bubbling to the surface of your mouth. You hope you looked like a stern, wise beyond her years, sensei when you speak to him. Your hand painfully digs into his shoulder. 

"If you want to win, you must become stronger." You say with your gruffest voice. "Train everyday. Train until your fingers hurt, but even then don't stop. Train until you drop. That is the way of the volleyball ninja." 

"Please don't plant those thoughts in Semi-san's head." Oohira says from afar. But it was too late. Semi slowly rises, his visage full of determination. "The next time I play that elitist snake eel, I'll crush that bastard and I'll make him lick my boots after I've trampled them in owl poo-"

"Woah, that's a bit graphic for my G-rated ears." You cut in loudly. "Have fun, bro. I'm out."

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Hey, hey, hey, Taka! (do you like my greeting, I learned it from one of the emo second years)

How are you doing? Perfected your blocks yet? You've got to show me when I get home during Christmas break. I've missed you. I'm surrounded by all those stupid idiots and it's fun but sometimes it's just like wat. What is happening. I'm going insane here! My senpai is a crybaby that tries to act all cool and I'm constantly being whined and insulted at. Anyway though, back to Xmas. Are we going to your house or mine for dinner? I haven't even gotten gifts yet. x-x  
Oh, you have to show me around to the new downtown place when I get back. I'm still trying to work on sneaking you into Hogwarts, but no luck. Don't worry though, I'm a capable witch and I'll figure out a way, okay? Btw, I got you some chocolate frogs. You have to catch them real quick - they jump! Don't let anyone see you though, I don't want to be thrown into a mental hospital. Tell me what card you get, ok? Thanks for taking care of Keiji - don't feed them steak again please. I don't want him to become a spoiled brat. Ok, I'm signing off now. 

Your number one,  
[Y/N] Akira.

"Who's Taka?"

"OHMYGOD, DONTSCAREMELIKETHAT!" You shout, nearly falling out of your seat. 

Ame raises an eyebrow. "Geez, you're the one that's scaring me." Ame peers over your shoulder, and you hastily fold up the parchment. It was too late though. 

"What was with that reaction? Are you trying to break out a criminal from Azkaban or something?" She then leans a bit closer, still wearing her dead-on poker face. "Or was it a boy?" 

You writhe under her unwavering gaze. "I'm just writing to a friend." You clarify. 

"You've been writing to that Taka person awfully a lot."

"I promised I would." 

"He sends you a lot of gifts too." 

"Yeah." 

"Huh."

"..."

"...”  
"..."

"...Okay fine!" You relent, raising your hands up in defeat. "Can you keep a secret?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Oikawa is overly obsessing over himself, cartoon stars and glitter flutter around him bc magic. Like how when voldie was happy, sparkles shot out of his fingertips as he tap danced like a boss. 
> 
> [uncensored] Semi calls Tendou an insecure turd biscuit. Thanks, random insult generator.


	11. In Another Universe

Hogwarts at night is deathly quiet. Not a portrait was stirring, not even a Codagan-clad blouse. You trudge up the hundreds of steps that lead up to the owlery, wondering why Hogwarts didn't have something equivalent to a magical escalator. You clutch the letter tightly in your hand, the sound of hooting getting louder and louder.

"You again?" 

Kuroo gives you a catlike grin. "I'm just enjoying the night view. Jupiter is in full storm tonight. Wanna see?" Kuroo gestures toward the telescope that's sitting haphazardly on the window ledge. 

"The notion is great and all," You ruffle Keiji's head affectionately, the owl snuggles his head against the palm of your hand. "but your pooping toad kind of ruins it." 

"Bufonidae has digestive issues!" Kuroo digresses, lovingly petting the still defecating toad. "He's a good boy." 

"If you say so." You give Keiji one last pat before you send him off. Keiji flies towards the open window, taking care to take a stop atop Kuroo's head, aggressively pulling at the bedhead's hair.

Kuroo just stands there, with his arms crossed over his chest like this was something that happened all the time to him. You wouldn't be surprised if it did. "Your owl is assaulting me, Hufflepuff girl." 

You casually wave him off. "He loves you! Look at him, building a nest in your hair." 

"Is that a no to Jupiter-gazing? This is a once in a lifetime chance." 

"Kindly relocate your shitting frog." 

"Language, Akira. Innocent Huffies like you shouldn't be saying such dirty words." Kuroo smirks, moving aside from the window to retrieve his toad. You hold your nose.

"I speak the language of flowers." All poetry was lost when the words came out all weird and nasally. 

Kuroo snorts. He graciously passes the telescope to you. You sweep your hair out of your way, and bend down to peer through the looking glass.

"Dang, that is one pretty planet." The telescope had a much better quality than you had expected - you could even zoom in on that one orange spot and watch as the storm danced. Unfortunately, there was no alien to be spotted, which meant you couldn't brag to Oikawa that you had seen one. "There must be a million lonely planets in the universe." 

"Can't make lonely if there's no population to begin with." Kuroo butts in. "My dad says there's a school on Mars. I'll need to build a spaceship to get there. You wanna come along for the ride?" 

"If you'll take care of my taxes."

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"Oh, hey Kenma." You crouch down next to him, trying to get a good look at what he was doing. Nipping at his fingers was a scrawny orange cat. "You're a cat person?"  
"I prefer them over dogs." He glances up at you for half a second before going back to looking at the cat. “What are you doing here?  
"Oh, I was coming down from the owlery. Do you always play with cats in the middle of the night?"

Kenma doesn't respond.   
"I wanted a black cat, but they didn't have any. Keiji is great though, at least he can send letters." You say thoughtfully. "Anyway, how have you been? Still missing your lame video games?"   
"They're not lame." There’s a little bit of an edge to his voice.   
"I'll take you to see a real dragon someday." Maybe if you show him one, he’ll finally stop moping around. Kenma lacked a sense of adventure, and you were determined to light that flame. 

"That's unlikely."  
"Just you wait. I'll show you someday."   
"Not possible." 

Other than finding him to be a bit of a killjoy, you learn that Kenma's been excelling in all his classes, garnering perfect scores on all his assignments and his exams. No, he never studies. He was just that type of smart kid. You learn that he'd been reading up on all sorts of wizarding games, such as Wizard Chess, Magical Truth or Dare, and Wizard Twister. You store that information for another day.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"[Y/N]-cchi." Ame waves you over the moment you return back to your dorm. "I want to show you something."

"It's late, can't you show me tomorrow?" You stifle a yawn. 

"It ruins the magical effect though. Come here." She pats to the empty spot next to her bed. You plop down onto the mattress. Ame reaches under her bed, retrieving a jewelry box from underneath it. She sits back onto the bed next to you. The wooden box has a rustic feel to it. There's a wreath of poinsettias engraved on top of the lid. 

"Since you told me about your secret, it's time I tell you one of mine." Ame whispers, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Well, this isn’t really a secret, but just keep this between the two of us, okay?"   
She opened the box, and sitting on the velvet cushion was a transparent ring. There was no design, no embellishment, just a plain old ring. Ame gently takes the ring out, carefully sliding it onto her ring finger. "Watch." 

The ring is a bit big for Ame, but it immediately shrinks itself to fit her. The transparent color changes into a light brown color, tiny swirls starting to cover the ring one by one. It looks a bit like the contours on an old tree.   
"Wow." You say. 

"Wow indeed." Ame smiles, wiggling her fingers. "Pretty isn't it? My grandmum gave it to me." She then carefully slides the ring back off, and it turns back into its original state. Ame holds the ring out to you. "Try it on." 

You take the ring in your hands. It's cold to the touch. Gingerly, you put it on, and you are surprised there’s a sudden heat on your finger, the ring blinking a flashing red and orange. Even more, there was this...

THUMP. THUMP! TH-TH-THUMP! TH-TH-TH-TH-TH-THUMPTHUMPTHUMP!!! 

"The ring is...pulsing?" You gasp, feeling the pulsing get quicker and the ring get hotter by the second. You take it off as quick as you can, handing it back to Ame. "It tried to burn my skin off." 

Ame giggles. "Your soulmate must be pretty angry right now." 

"Soulmate?" You gape. Hold on, those things existed? 

"Well, I like to call them soulmate, since it's more romantic and all." Ame clarifies, slipping the ring back on her finger. It turns brown again. "This is a special ring that tells you the current mood and heart rate of your soulmate. It's an old family heirloom." She gently taps the ring. "My soulmate's usually always brown - they're either calm all the time or they're either sleeping all the time." 

"You believe in soulmates?" You ask in wonder. 

"I like the idea of it. It’s more romantic." Ame replies, twisting the heirloom around her finger. "But the problem with that idea of a soulmate is that they're the only destined 'one.' The reality of it though, is that your potential partner can change. Life is uncertain, and when you make a decision - even a small one like deciding to visit a café instead of the library, your potential partner can change too. Maybe your soulmate was at the library, and when you chose to go elsewhere, that library encounter is lost, and that string of fate is cut. Or maybe it's because you decided to go to that café that it's the reason that you meet a potential there. Or you know, you’re stuck in a love square and all of those cute boys could be your potential soulmate." There’s a knowing sparkle in her eyes that you fail to notice. 

"Hmm." That was an interesting way to look at it. You never thought of love in that way, but then again, you never really thought of love at all. The concept was still the same though, every little choice you make is shutting down dozens of opportunities whilst opening another dozen more. You were sure there were millions of alternate universes out there - one where the sky was orange, one where you were shy, one where you never got sent the letter and went on with your muggle life. You wanted to know what was happening in all those different worlds, wanted to know if you were any happier or any sadder, wanted to know all the people that the you in this world would never get to encounter. You wanted to reach and grasp all those little strings of fate and unravel them. You wanted to see all the outcomes. Your brain would probably melt. In an alternate universe where the flowers rained from the sky, would you be more sure and confident of yourself? Would you be something bigger? You didn't know, you wanted to know. 

"Akira~" 

"Oh." You'd blanked out for a second there. "You made me overthink, Ame." 

"That's just you, silly." Ame chides, shaking her head fondly. "You’re always overthinking. What's on your mind?" 

"Too many things." Contemplating the value of my existence, thank you very much. "What if there's no pulse?" You inquire. "Does that mean I won't have a partner?" 

"No, [Y/N]." Ame says softly, a little sadly. "It just means that your partner is dead." 

"Oh."

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"Tendou was obviously cheating last time!" Oikawa claims for the umpteenth time as the three of you make your way to the Black Lake. You jab a finger into his cheek.

"That's ridiculous. You can't mindread unless you're Professor X." 

"It's a thing, Akira. It's called Legilimency." Iwaizumi. 

Oikawa huffs. "No, it's not, stupid! Papa says that calling Legilimency mind-reading is a naïve and stupid way of thinking." 

"He's just a guess monster." You cut in. 

"No fair, [Y/N]-chan!" Oikawa whines, "You were supposed to stay quiet and let the thought of Iwa-chan saying something dumb sink in!" 

"You're such a child, Dummy-kawa!" 

"Hey, you were the dummy this time, Iwa! Not me!" 

When you meet up with the three others on the court, you're a bit surprised to see a small crowd of girls at the sidelines, waving banners pasted with the head of a winking Oikawa as if one winking Oikawa wasn't enough. Oikawa struts over to the group of girls to chat with them. When had he gotten so confident? 

So that's why Akira didn't ask Oikawa. Iwaizumi observes. Iwaizumi and you go and greet the other players for the match. Suga was donning a yellow Nike headband, greeting the two of you eagerly. Iwaizumi recognizes Akaashi from his house, and they quietly nod to each other. He also recognizes the Gryffindor chaser from the last Quidditch match. What was his name? Bo...Bo..Burrito? 

"Hey, hey, hey! It's me, Bokuto! The great ace of Gryffindor!" Ah, Bokuto. 

"Hey my dude!" You and Bokuto exchange a series of handshakes. Then Bokuto turns to Iwaizumi, giving him a wave. Iwaizumi waves back. 

"He wants a high five, Zumi." You giggle. You and Suga also exchange high fives. You turn to Akaashi and Akaashi nods at you. Then, you peer behind you and frown. Oikawa was still being flocked by the murder of fancrows. Somebody should get him. You sigh. Iwaizumi sighs, and decides to volunteer as tribute. "Oi, don't keep us waiting, Idiot-kawa! Or we'll start the game without you." 

Oikawa smiles sheepishly to the girls and quickly trots over. "Can't you be nicer to me in front of the girls?" He hisses, "You know you can't start a game without me." No one answers.

"Shall we draw marbles again?" 

"Yup! You go ahead first, Zumi." You take out your koi sachet full of blue and white marbles. Iwaizum draws blue. Akaashi draws blue. Bokuto draws white. Suga draws white. You draw white.

"That means you're with Iwaizumi and Akaashi." You announce. Oikawa frowns. "Why didn't I get to draw a marble?"

"Anyway, we need team names." You ignore Oikawa, as you huddle around your teammates. Oikawa huffs and does the same. After some discussion, both teams come up with very sound names. 

"I present to you..." Sugawara starts.  
"The best team in Hogwarts..." You pick up.   
"HEY HEY HEY BOW DOWN TO THE KING CANDY CORNS!"

"Candy corns?" Iwaizumi mutters. 

"It is the sigil of two Hufflepuffs and one Gryffindor playing together in sweet unity and certain victory." Sugawara explains. "Don't question the king candy corns!" 

"YEA!" You and Bokuto shout in unison. 

"Hmph, well whatever, we have prettier names!" Oikawa huffs. "We're the...." Oikawa starts drum rolling. 

"...The Azure Avians." Iwaizumi and Akaashi deadpan.   
"We're going to devour you candy corns up!" 

"Oh no you didn't!"   
"Oh no you ain't!"  
"Oh no you aren't!" 

The three of you shout in unison, serving to egg on Oikawa’s confidence all the more. He triumphantly points his finger at the three of you. "Watch me. Birds of prey are much prettier than those who are stuck groveling on the ground." 

"You're insulting everyone here."   
"Akaashi-chan! Play along! You too, Iwa!"   
"...Just call me Akaashi."   
"You're embarassing yourself, Stupid-kawa."   
“Maaa~ Can’t you guys show some team spirit?” 

The two teams assemble on the makeshift volleyball court. It's Oikawa’s serve first. He gets in two service aces, before hitting out on the third one. It is now Bokuto's serve. You should have protected the back of your head. Back to the Avians, with Akaashi serving. Suga receives it, and you set the ball. Bokuto spikes it down. Point. You serve a net in, and Iwaizumi dives to receive it. Akaashi spikes the ball right into the corner. Point. Iwaizumi serves. Bokuto receives the ball, sending it over to Sugawara. You spike it into Oikawa's face. Point. 

"Not my face!" Oikawa bemoans. "It's my charm point!" 

Sugawara serves. The other team follows the receive-set-spike and your team does the same. Sugawara's spike lands just on the line. Point. The game continues on back and forth. The Azure Avians win the first set. And they win the second set. You play an extra set for kicks and Team Candy Corn wins. When the match ends, the sun is already dipping its toes into the lake, and the six of you are gasping for breath. Defeat leaves a sour taste in your mouth, and Oikawa's taunting is endless. 

"[Y/N]-chan! I'm going to make you do my homework and shine my shoes!" Oikawa sings. "It'll be so fun!"

"We didn't agree to that, Stupid-kawa." Iwaizumi butts in. "We're doing something else."

"W-what?!" Oikawa sputters. "But I had it all planned out!" 

"That's too bad. Akaashi-san and I decided on something else while you weren't here." 

"What is it?" 

You grimace, waiting for your fate to be handed over to you. While you had been discussing earlier, the group had come to a consensus that the winners got to choose any penalty that they had wanted. Were they going to hang you and your team upside down for an hour? Were they going to make you wash their socks? Forfeit your sweets? 

Akaashi turns to your team. There's a glint of amusement tucked in the corner of his eyes. 

"For the extent of next week, Bokuto-san, Sugawara-san, and Akira-san must speak in the third person."


	12. Side Effects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking back, it had been all Iwaizumi's fault

"The great Akira believes that this is a boring penalty." You frown, a bit disappointed in the lack of creativity.

"There's a catch." Iwaizumi adds, glee painted across his cheeks. He takes out three pieces of cough drops from his pocket, throwing a piece to each member of the fallen candy corn kings.

You warily eye the yellow candy. "It's almost as if you two knew what was going to happen today." 

Iwaizumi gives a dismissive shrug. "I'd like to come prepared. You guys have to speak in third person as if you were reading a sentence aloud in a book. For example, 'It's almost as if you two knew what was going to happen today, Akira says, as she stares a bullet into Iwaizumi's head.' You might think, ‘I can just cheat and not do it’, so that's when the candy comes into play.”

"Akira would never go back on her word." You unwrap the candy.  
"The friendly neighborhood Sugawara wants to know what the candy is for!"  
"Me-Bokuto too!" 

"It's a penalty that'll kick in when you guys fail to use third person." Iwaizumi explains. "Now eat up."

Oikawa shakes his head. "That's so boring, Iwa-chan! Akaashi-chan! I could have come up with better things." 

"I think you may find it amusing when they mess up." Akaashi replies. 

You pop the candy in your mouth. It's bitter. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"Kyotani-kunnnn!!!" You holler, trying to catch the Hufflepuff’s attention. He doesn't seem to hear you, he was too far up. A silhouette over the Black Lake. You pull out your wand. "Accio school broom." The besom comes zipping through the air, clattering at your feet. It's a bit splintery, but you didn't have the money to buy a nice broom. You mount it, chasing after Kyotani, calling him. 

"Kyotani-kun!" You know he hates that you call him that, but you couldn't help it. His irritated face was just too adorable. "Teach me how to fly like that." You gesture towards his feet, the part of his body that touched the handle. He stops, standing on the broom effortlessly. His frown deepens. "No, you'll drown." 

"I can froggy paddle my way back." You reassure him. "I'm an excellent swimmer." 

Kyotani doesn’t buy any of it. "If you fall, I can't catch you. You're too heavy for my broom." 

"My broom will catch me." You insist. "Don't worry, I will survive." 

"Akira's got the moves like jagger, got the moves like jagger, Akira’s got the moveeeeeees like jagger!" A falsetto comes out of nowhere, and your mouth moves of its own accord. At the same time, your body dancing uncontrollably. Your feet kick out from underneath you, dangling in the air for a second before your arms flail backwards in a very tense handstand. All your blood starts rushing to your head, as you continue to belch out Maroon 5. Your feet come down, your right foot, then your left foot balance on the handle, while your arms go up again. You're standing on the broom, shakily wiggling your arms and singing. When it all finally stops, you immediately bend over, hands on your knees, trying to cover your burning face. 

With the magic having worn out, there was nothing helping you keep your momentum. Your weight shifts forward and down. You're falling. 

Side effects include :: singing, dancing, and uncontrollable body movements.

You scream, but no sound comes out as you fall down and down. Everything is a blur. Kyotani is a blotch of black against the blotchy pink sky. You shut your eyes. 

SWISSSSSSH SWAASHHHH

Suddenly, your body is enveloped in something cold.A fountain of water is holding you up. The pressure strings. Slowly, you feel yourself going down again, but instead of splashing and sinking into the lake, you land on something very firm. Your limbs splay out over you like a starfish, and you groan. 

You place an arm over your head and then you notice it - your hand is completely black. "?!" You sit up, and to your horror, your ankles, shoes, and clothes are all jet black. It was then when you saw the many tentacles that were moving on the surface of the water. You walk down the length of the mantle, and peer down at the one unblinking eye. "Hi, Inky." You eke out breathlessly. "Thanks for saving the Great Akira. Akira would have been gone if Inky hadn't been here." 

Inky floats through the water, bringing you to shore. You slide down the mantle, thanking the giant squid. Inky has helped you twice now. You tried to rinse off in the Black Lake, but the lake was already black from all the ink that Squiddy had sprayed out in order to break your fall. Kyotani lands beside you, looking a bit at a loss at what had happened. He quietly hands you your broom. "Thanks." You mutter. "Akira would like Kyotani to bring it back to the storage room." 

Kyotani raises an eyebrow, perplexed by the way that you were speaking. He quietly takes the broom. He turns back to look at you. "I can help." He says. "To the common room."

You shake your head. "No, Akira is fine. It wouldn't be good if Ukai found one of the brooms missing." 

"I'll say it was me." 

"No, Kyotani-kun. Akira is fine, really." 

The exchange continues, before you finally manage to send him off to the Quidditch Pitch. You let out a shaky sigh. How were you going to explain all of this? You try to wring as much as the ink out of your shirt, hair, and pants as you can. Slowly, you walked your walk of despair down into the castle. With every step you took, black footprints bared themselves onto the floor tiles. It was evidence that you couldn't clean up. You just wanted to wrap a big invisible towel around you as you dragged your feet down the corridor, head hung low. 

This is why you don't do stupid stuff. This is why you don't do stupid stuff This is why- 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

"But wasn't it fun?" 

"I don't want to talk about it." Shoot. Immediately, your eyes leave the floor shifting upwards to gaze into the 2nd year's eyes. The right side of your mouth quirks upwards and your right eye quickly blinks. 

Terushima bites back a chortle. "Dang Akira. If you had wanted to go out with me you coulda just asked!" 

"Shut up." 

"Hey, hey." He crosses his arms on the table, his chin perched atop of them. He tilts his head. "You hafta wear your adventures like a trophy! Don't let that one experience shy you away from risk-taking, y'know? This is Hogwarts, where the prime years of your life will be spent! There's dragons to tame and unicorns to ride!" 

"Yea...unicorns." You recall that night in the forbidden forest. 

"You know what'll cheer you up?" Terushima jumps out from his seat. "Dungeons and Wizards!" He drags you out of your seat. "C'mon!" 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

The two of you lean out the window, gusts of wind gently bristling about your hair. A clamor of soft hoots ring around you. You were visiting the owlery often, and every time Keiji had gotten back from delivering letters, he looked more plump. You had a suspicion that Aone had something to do with it. 

"Come play quidditch with us tomorrow, Hufflepuff girl." 

"So you can smash my face in with a bludger?" You scowl, "No thanks." 

Then there was an itchy sensation in your throat, and you tried to bite back a cough. Kuroo watches your perplexed expression, mildly amused. "I have utmost faith in your broom maneuvering, Miss Akira." 

"There's no way that I-'' Oh no, not again. You shimmy towards him, your shoulders rolling uncontrollably. "Girllll," you belt out, "Like the Almighty Akira is afraid of some scrawny cat's powerless catting. The Great Akira will catch the snitch before you can even try taking a hit at me. Now, sashay away." You make shooing motions at him, as your feet carry you backwards, one behind the other. It's only until you get to the staircase when the candy's effects leave. A shaky breath leaves your mouth, as you plop down onto the staircase. Penalties were supposed to be fun. Penalties were supposed to be a laugh. So why weren't you laughing? You felt like your own will was being taken from you, as if there was some invisible puppetmaster above you, tugging at invisible threads that were attached to your every nerve. Every time you spoke, the professors and classmates gave you odd looks, so you've been pretty quiet for the last three days during lessons. You pick yourself back up, and start down the stairwell. Only four more days. 

"Over here, Akira!" You maneuver your way around the Quidditch court that Kuroo had pulled some strings to book, twisting and flying in a zigzag motion. Kuroo had invited his Gryffindor friends and you to play against the Gryffindor team. Kyotani had really taught you well, you had to bake him cookies or something. Did kyoken even like cookies? You glance around - two of the three chasers on the blue team were marking your every move. You don't know what their names were, but you were pretty impressed how one of them was already bald and how the other had an incredible pineapple-shaped red hair.

"Don't miss, Kawatabi!" You shout, passing the Quaffle to him, "Think about that pretty Onee-san at lunch yesterday! Think about next year!" 

Kawatabi immediately has that starstruck look in his eyes as he races towards the hoops on his Comet Two Ninety. He hurls the ball towards the left hoop, the one furthest from the Keeper's attention. The Keeper sleepily rubs his eyes, whilst jerking the broom to the right. The bottom of his broom blocks the Quaffle. 

"THE HECK KENMA?!" Yamamoto shouts from the other side of the court. "HOW ARE YOU SO GOOD?!" 

"Geez, you first years are so loud." 

"Don't be so grumpy, Yakkun. You'll get stress lines - high cortisol levels don’t look good on you." 

A very prominent tick mark jumps out from under Yaku's temple. "You shitty punk - don't act all cute with me!" 

"Aww, senpai, all that neurotransmitter glutamate in your body has finally made you delusional." 

"Look! The seekers are fighting for the snitch!" 

"Knock him out, Enoshita!" 

"Get her, Kuroo!" 

"Does it even matter if we score now?" 

"Don't give up my dude! The Great Akira's got your back!" 

"I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T GET THAT SNITCH , ALL IF YOU WILL RUN 20 LAPS AROUND THE QUIDDITCH PITCH!" 

"For someone who is so clearly lacking in docosahexaenoic acid, I don't think your opinions have much validity." 

"YUSSSSS KUROSAKI!" Yamamoto screams when the fourth year catches the coveted snitch. 

"Dang." 

"Enjoy the match?" Kuroo sneaks up on you, handing you his water bottle. The bottle was black, and written in white text was, 'I make bad chemistry puns. Periodically.' "Enjoy the match?" Kuroo sneaks up on you, handing you his water bottle. The bottle is black, written in white text were the words, 'I make bad chemistry puns. Periodically.' You take the bottle, gulping down the remaining water. You hand the bottle back to him.  
"Why'd you invite Akira here anyway?" You ask after a moment. "Kuroo knows that Akira can spill his quidditch secrets to the Hufflepuff team if Akira wanted to, right?"

Kuroo shrugs nonchalantly. "It'll be more fun when I play against you when you get in next year."

Huh? Why was he assuming that you were going to play such a dangerous sport like that? "Hey, this is a one time thing." 

"That's what they all say." Kuroo's grins. "Little Kenma said those exact words, but look at him now! He said he'll try out next year." 

"I don't have anything better to do." Kenma says flatly. 

"Well Akira has a lot of better things to do." 

"Nothing can top off a good Quidditch game! What a minute..." Kuroo stoops down to make eye contact with you. He's a bit too close. "Or is the little badger too scared?" 

Don't let that one experience shy you away from risk-taking, y'know?

"The only thing Akira is scared and concerned about is Kuroo's fish breath."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> neat thing i found whilst image hunting - https://manggaetteokkie.tumblr.com/post/163807390220/friskavris-mayphenix-friskavris-these


	13. Chapter 13

"How have you been, tuna breath?" 

Miya doesn't even complain about the appellation you'd graciously dubbed him anymore. He looks up from his textbook, where he had been trying to doodle a unibrow on Godric Gryffindor's picture. But the Gryffindor was invasive, constantly dodging to the left and to the right whilst making mocking faces at the Slytherin. "Ya should see me trainin' - I'm basically a pro now. I go in and out of it faster than Osamu can." 

"Yer really all talk no bark, ya brainless stew." Osamu snaps back, loud enough for the class to hear. 

"Akira and Miya, if the two of you speak another word I will not hesitate to send you both to detention again." Washijou warns. Even with the glasses, the old geezer couldn't tell which twin was which. Osamu is tempted to retort something back just to spite his brother, but he shuts his mouth and plays obedient. 

Miya slides his textbook over to your desk, tapping his quill on the bottom of page 49. [I wouldn't mind another detention with ya. ψ(｀∇´)ψ. Come to the entrance of the ff @8 - You'll see how much better I am than that dweeb.]

You and Godric Gryffindor read the note skeptically. The last time you went to the forbidden forest, you had seen a dead unicorn. Miya's devilish smile said everything. You grab your own quill and write back. [Ok, but it better be worth it.] You slide the textbook back onto his desk. Godric Gryffindor gives Atsumu a thumbs up. 

"Do you have any cookie cutters, Semi-san?" 

Semi Eita flips a page of his book. "Dunno him." 

"Do you have any molds, Semi-senpai." 

"The cabinet next to the stove. It's in the white box." 

You pull out the flat piece of metal and lay it out on the counter. You trace the desired shape onto it, and write 'xxs.' The metal compacts itself to form one tiny cookie cutter. Carefully, you sink the utensil into your yellow dough. After finishing up your dough, you move the batter into the refrigerator, which is full of all sorts of items, from sprinkles to canned sloth brains. "Semi-senpai, can you not just keep the brains under your bed or something?" 

"Don't be ridiculous, my dear kouhai." Semi scoffs, flipping another page of his book - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. You look at the cover of the red eyed lady with her jawbones exposed and blood dripping down her blouse and look back at sloth brains. You close the refrigerator door. You weren't going to even bother asking for the sake of your mental health. 

You arrive at the mouth of the forbidden forest 5 minutes early. There was no one else around, as it was 5 minutes before curfew. Skit. Skit. You stand at attention as you hear ruffling from within the forest, immediately drawing out your wand. Would a knockback jinx work on a werewolf? The ruffling sound gets closer and you try to follow the sound. A gray fox jumps out from the bushes and slowly approaches you, circling around you. It's amber eyes are alert. 

"Hi fox." You say.

The fox relaxes a bit. The fox recognizes this voice from somewhere. The fox pulls itself into a lazy downward dog. It's front legs start to extend, and a faint white light encircles the fox’s figure. The fox's body arches upwards, his eyes starting to shift in color and in shape. When you blink again, Osamu is staring back at you. "Hi," 

"...You're not naked." You observe. "..Oh I meant-" 

"I've learnt how to keep on my clothes when I transform." Osamu explains. "Atsumu's still struggling on how to keep his on." 

"No kidding." You say, hoping that Atsumu hadn't told Osamu about that night at Dumbledore's Office. Would he be ignominious enough to declare that he'd been in the nude in front of two old men and a very innocent and traumatized girl? Or would Atsumu deem it as a type of situation to take pride in? Knowing him, it would be possible. 

"So." You deadpan. "Wanna ambush Atsumu when he comes around?" 

"No." Osamu quickly shoots down your offer. "Indulgin' him is a waste of time." Well this was awkward. Osamu had never really hung around you outside with Atsumu, but even then, he was just reluctantly tagging along. He hadn't really expected to see you outside of the squid incident - he had been certain that his stupid brother would have scared you away the moment you had joined their boat. Yet, you were just there, standing with him in an awkward silence. It was rude to just bound off into the forest in fox form, and having you follow after him would rouse attention from the other creatures residing within the forest. A few days ago, he had heard some strange noises near the creek and he hadn't dared to venture to that part of the forest again. "Let's ditch him."

"I can't tell if you're joking or not." You say. 

Atsumu is unapologetically late, dashing in 20 minutes past seven, all teeth and limbs. 

"The Amazing Atsumu is here!" 

"Ugh, no thanks." You and Osamu blanch in unison. 

"What are ya two so down in the dumps about?" Atsumu rids of his bag, and takes out a necklace from his pocket. There is a single canine dangling on the felt. Atsumu puts it on, and gestures toward the forest, before breaking off into a run. "Last one is the rotten boggart!" 

"The moral dilemma of the day," You say as you stand up, "Is if I should indulge in his requests." 

"Let that stupid tart have his fun." 

"If I were an animagus...I would be a dragon."

"You would be a rabbit."

"I'm too glorious to be a rabbit." You counter. "Those feet can't get me anywhere, but with wings, I can look down on all you sad earthlings."

"You'll get lonely up there, with all 'em mean Horntails."

The two of you sit on the trunk of a fallen tree, bantering back and forth as Atsumu is attempting to catch a squirrel. The orange fox is clawing at the bark of the tree, trying to climb up in order to reach his prey. The necklace is bouncing to and fro, the tooth gleaming in the full moon. Osamu had explained earlier to you that the necklace helped Atsumu transform more easily, "because he sucked." The fang was a sacred artifact that Jiraiya had apparently looted from the den of the Nine Tails decades ago. Osamu had explained to you that the Kyuubi was the strongest fox out there, and had once wreaked havoc in a city called Konoha a century ago. It had been later captured by the Akatsuki, an anarchist group that consisted of high-caliber witches and wizards known for blending martial arts with magic. After it's capture, Pein, the leader of the group, made a deal with Albus Dumbledore to trade the Nine Tails for the town of Amegakure. 

Osamu had then rambled on about each of the Akatsuki members - a bad-tempered masochist with a red scythe, a man who slaughtered his clan as a teenager, a paper angel who was seen as God's right hand...the list went on and on. You had never seen Osamu be so talkative about anything else before. You could picture him in a suit already, taking the position of History of Magic Professor and teaching petrified first years about all the ancient torture technologies with that grumpy expression on his face. Somewhere in the background, a twelve year old girl would fawn over his arm tattoo, and sing, 'Let's make history together, professor.' Then all the other classmates would chime in, leading Osamu Miya to lose his filter, cussing out all the wee first years and getting fired from Hogwarts for vulgar language. He'll live out the rest of his life as a freeloader in Atsumu's mansion, lecturing his talking furniture about the 2nd Great Konoha War. 

"I don't want you to be lonely." You blurt out. 

“Why is it that whenever I’m talking in ‘bout history, your mental age expands by, like, 7 years?" He blurts back. 

“That’s such a random number.” 

“It’s the magic number.” 

“Okay, history lunatic.” 

“It's just a hobby." 

"What else do you like?" You inquire, swatting away a mosquito. 

"Making food, I guess." Osamu takes out his wand, and all the mosquitos around you drop dead in a flash of green. Osamu relights his lantern, just to see Atsumu snarling at something in the distance. Atsumu is shaking, teeth bared, looking at something that only he seemed to see. There’s a howl in the distance. Osamu immediately stiffens, his eyes contracting into amber slits. The scent of death is unmistakable. Atsumu howls back, his voice weak and laced with trepidation. 

“Shit, you stupid idiot!” Osamu swears. He jerks his wand in a ragged half circular motion. “Accio Nimbus 2001! Akira, we’re leaving now!” 

“What’s happening?” You finagle out, hastily grabbing Atsumu who’s still squatting next to the tree. Atsumu’s entire body is trembling, and you hear shuffling, fast among the chaparral. The fox is still growling, and he squirms in your grasp, clawing at your robes. You wince as he scrapes the skin of your arm. 

The broom whips by, and stops two feet above the ground. “Get on!” Osamu urges, as he mounts the broom. You clamber on behind him, your free arm gripping tight onto Osamu as your other arm holds Atsumu. The shuffling noises get closer and louder. Osamu kicks up off the ground, skyrocketing up above the trees. You latch onto him, afraid of falling at this 180° angle. You look down just in time to see a black blur leapt out from the shadows, red eyes gleaming in the dark. The canine bares its fangs, blood collecting at its jaw. Had it been three seconds later, the three of you would have been goners. 

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

“[Y/N]-cchi.” 

“[Y/N]-cchi.” 

“AKIRA-CHAN!” 

You jolt awake, clonking your head against the headboard in a painful awakening. You groan, rubbing at your head. The curtains are thrown open, the windows unlatched. A chilly breeze makes you shiver in your pajamas. Ame is hovering in front of your bed, all dressed up and displeased. “Akira-chan.” Her voice is threatening. “We’re going to be late if you don’t get up now.” She doesn’t leave her gaze off of you as you quickly slide out of your bed. “Sorry. I had a bad dream.” You apologize, suppressing a yawn. You put on your slippers and freeze. Why had you slept in your uniform? And furthermore, why had you thrown your robe haphazardly on the floor? You realize then how dirty your robe was as you retrieve your bag. Ame throws you a piece of gum. “Let’s go.” 

You don’t bother to put on your robe as you follow Ame out of the common room. You itch at the mosquito bite on your arm. The scratches from Miya are still there. 

Professor Nekomata was chill enough to pretend to not notice the lack of your Hufflepuff robes. The rest of your peers however, curiously look your way as you sit down next to Sugawara. “Hi.” He whispers. 

“Hi.” You mouth back. You retrieve your textbook from your school bag and open it up to the first page. Colorful penguins dance about on the page. You close the book shut. Yikes. 

Atsumu is absent. You rub at the wounds on your arm as Professor Nekomata explains today’s agenda. Something, something, try a challenge, something, something, work in pairs. The cuts are deeper than you had thought they would be. It would take at least 3 weeks to heal. Maybe you should take a visit to the Hospital Wing during lunch. 

“Miss Akira and Mr. Miya.” 

“Yes, professor.” 

“...”

“Miss Akira?” 

Sugawara nudges you lightly. “[Y/N], you there?” 

You look up, and see Professor Nekomata and the rest of the class looking expectantly at you. “Err...Armadillo bile?” You guess. The class giggles, and you try to shut them out. You were too exhausted for this. 

“Armadillo bile is indeed an ingredient for the Wit-Sharpening potion.” Nekomata answers, his eyes gleaming in amusement. “Mr. Miya would be pleased to know that his partner has been studying up to prepare this particular concoction - Miss Akira seems to be in dire need of it.” This earns another round of laughter from the students. Okay, maybe he wasn’t so chill. 

“Where’s Atsumu anyway?” You ask, as you languidly ground the scarab beetles in your mortar. “Is he ditching class again?” 

“Nah.” Osamu is chopping the ginger into thin slices. There’s a faint hint of grey under the skin of his eyes. He lowers his voice. “He couldn’t get out of his form. Idiot’s in the hospital wing right now.” 

“Wasn’t the necklace supposed to help him out?” You whisper, setting the mortar aside in favor of uncapping the vial of armadillo bile. You blanch as the pungent smell hits your face. You quickly measure out the needed amount and cap the vial. 

“Was too out of it or somethin’.” 

You add the ginger root into the cauldron, stirring the cauldron until the liquid turned green. The armadillo bile comes in next. You cautiously ladle it in, not wanting for it to plop onto your clothes. “Osamu-kun, did you see the wolf last night? 

“I didn’t see nothin.’ I was too busy trying to get us out as fast as possible.” Osamu furrows his brows. “You must have been mistaken. I didn’t smell no wolf.”

You try to recall the blurry shadow from last night. “I don’t know, man. Do magical wolves have red eyes?” 

“No.” Osamu says curtly. You wait for him to say something more, but he keeps silent. Then, “What happened to your textbook?” 

“I misplaced it.” You say sheepishly, thumbing the cover of your multi-media art book. You randomly flip open to a page. “I mean, they’re pretty similar in size.” You try to defend. Osamu is staring at the inscription in your book. “...You cook?” 

It was a recipe for mushroom soup, with all sorts of food doodles framing the text. You shut the book closed. “Not yet,” you admit. “I’ve got to master macarons first.”

When the cauldron bubbles into a light purple color, you turn off the heat. You cautiously waft the scent towards you. It smelled just like cleanser. Miya ladles a portion of the wit-sharpening potion into a vial for you. 

“Here.” He says. “You need it.” 

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

You shove the box of sweethearts into his hands. “Here.” He blinks at you. He blinks at the candies you’d made for him. Kyotani is thoroughly confused. “What are those for?” 

“Can’t I give a friend a token of my appreciation?” You jest, patting his back. The puzzled expression on his face was just too splendiferous. “Why heart candies? It’s cheesy coming from you.” He treads carefully. 

Your smile blooms across your face. “You’re pretty sweet for a kyoken.” 

Kyotani bits his lips to keep from stuttering. Before he’s able to eke out a word of thanks, you’re already waltzing out of the common room. He stares at the container. The container stares back at him. Open me. It seems to say. Kyotani removes the lid. Yellow sweethearts filled with little messages dot the brim of the container. There is a folded note tucked to the side of the container. 

Thx for teaching me how to fly. I can pull off sick moves now bc of you. 

Because of him.


	14. Wager

Shiemi's leeks die. The miniature garden that she had planted behind the greenhouse had been trampled on - all her flowers were wilted, her tomato cages were upturned, and her leeks were a burnt black. Professor Moriyama asks the class to continue collecting the heights of the mandrakes that they'd replanted weeks ago. You refuse to spare an inch of attention to Satan. Not today, not ever. You head over to the other side of the greenhouse where all the Ravenclaws are grouped together, obediently measuring their plants and taking the dreaded sig figs into account. 

Akaashi is already done with his work, drumming his fingers on the table and glancing towards the garden. You call to him from an arm's length away. "Hey Brains, let's get out of here." You jerk your thumb over your shoulder. Akaashi nods and follows you out. The sun is nowhere to be found this morning, hidden by the layers of unrelenting fog that coated the shedding trees. Leaves crunch underneath your footfalls, it's crisp cries fall silent to your ears. You're too busy looking at Akaashi, who has buried his nose into the crook of his scarf. The wind paints his cheeks a gas fire blue. He's staring at his feet, soft lashes beneath half-lidded eyes. You wonder what was hidden beneath that big brain of his. Akaashi is odd. Akaashi is smart. He's sensible when you are malleable. Why was a sensible person like him willing to hang around an unstable genius like you? Akaashi tilts his chin with the gentlest of movements, and his eyes meet yours. You offer him a toothy gin. He breaks away. 

Shiemi is kneeled over the trampled flowers, fat droplets of tears blurring her countenance. There's a lump of uneasiness in your throat as you approach her. You sit in a coorie, and gently pat her back. Shiemi stiffens at the contact, peering up to look at you. There's a dabble of drool at the corner of her mouth and you try not to stare at it. 

"Onee-san?" Shiemi sniffles, wiping her nose with the corner of her sleeve. She dries her tears with a swipe of her hands, "Onee-san, I-It's all my fault! I ruined Mama's garden. I don't know what I'm going to do." 

"Don't blame yourself Shiemi-chan." You say. "It's not your fault - those jerks just loved your plants so much that they decided to ruin it." 

"W-will they hurt the plants again?" Shiemi's eyes shimmer as more tears threaten to spill from those baby green eyes. Maybe those weren't the best words to say to an eight year old girl. "Er, no.." You look over to Akaashi. 'Say something.' You mouth to him. 

"Yes, it is likely that they will come again." The Ravenclaw confirms. 

"Akaashi!" You hiss, shooting him a pointed glare. Shiemi is crestfallen, her lips pulled in a taut line, her hands trembling in her lap. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, and the helpless look that she sends you is a jab in your stomach. 

"Don't worry, Shiemi! Onee-san will hunt down those jerks and boil them alive for you, okay?"

"P-please don't boil them, Onee-san." 

"You're being too nice." You stand back up, helping the little girl back to her feet. "Onee-san needs to run up an errand - big bro will take you out for a walk, okay?" Shiemi nods. 

Akaashi doesn't want to, but he complies anyway, even though his mind is screaming at him to say no. He takes Shiemi by the hand (rather Shiemi takes him by his hand), and he leads her towards the lake. Silence blankets over the two of them and Akaashi doesn’t mind the quiet. Shiemi seemed to be restless, her large eyes staring up at him. There are still faint traces of red on the tip of her nose and in the corner of her eyes, but she seemed to have calmed down. 

“O-onii-san.” She stutters. Akaashi gives her a quick glance. She stares back, her eyes expectant. He patiently waits for her to continue. Shiemi’s cheeks burn with embarrassment, and she looks down at the ground. “Onii-san, t-take care of Akira-Neesan okay?” 

Akaashi was pretty certain that you were capable of taking care of yourself, he wasn’t your caretaker. Why was Shiemi so adamant on your mental wellbeing? It wasn’t as if you were in any danger. The little girl is getting a restless, the palm of her hand sweating against his. Shiemi lets go, stopping in her tracks. Akaashi pauses. “Do you want to go back?” 

Shiemi shakes her head. “I-I saw Onee-san with two mean Slytherins last night. They took her to the forest. Shiemi-chan heard howling and Shiemi-chan got so worried..” 

Ah. Akira must have landed herself into detention again. She must have not told Oikawa, which Akaashi is relieved about, because Oikawa had endlessly complained about it the entire night in their dorm. Oikawa had the terrifying power of robbing people’s sleep, and there was no spell that could counter that power. 

“Onii-san?” 

“Akira-san can take care of herself.” Akaashi says. “There is no need for you to worry.”

Shiemi doesn’t look too convinced. “Do you promise, Onii-san? Slytherins are always bad news. Especially those twins.” There’s a hint of darkness under her soft voice that vanishes beneath her smile. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Miya gets the luxury of having a separate room for himself. 

You draw back the white curtains, ready to be greeted with foolish blarney and teeth. Mini Miya stares back at you, wide inquisitive eyes captivating your attention. He’s still in fox form, but he’s much tinier. A baby fox cub with the baby face of Atsumu. He lets out a purr that almost reels you in, before you remember that this was the same being that called you a classless troll with a dire deprivation of decorum. 

“It’s dumb trying to evade class, you know.” You say flatly. “Do you want Osamu to beat you in grades?” 

Miya purrs again, clawing at the mattress. He slides under the comforter, as if ashamed. You wait patiently for him to come out, counting a full three seconds before you speak again. “I’m going now.” You announce. The curtains slide shut behind you. 

Three seconds was unbearable for Miya. He wants to burrow himself farther into the mattress, wants to open his eyes to the normal, human him. Now he was all claws and cheeks and furs. He was revisiting his toddler years again, this time in little fox form. He slowly crawls out of the mattress after you announce your leave. He hears warbled voices in the other room.

“You’re all patched up, dear!” Madam Pomfrey says, retrieving the empty bottle from you. You try your best not to look disgusted, but the sour taste of the patchin’ up potion was too powerful to hide. “Thank you, Madam Pomfrey.” Your teeth scrape like acid blocks. “I really understand why Professor Moriyama wanted to use plants in healing now. No offense.” 

“None taken, dear. Unfortunately we haven’t yet found a way to mask the gnarly taste. The headmaster suggested rice sake, but it’s not the most appropriate remedy, is it?” 

“The best remedy is food.” 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

“So just do it.” 

“Not everyone’s so..adventurous like you are, Mattsun.” Makki sighs, throwing himself onto the sofa. He fiddles with his wand, idly spinning it around with his fingers. 

“It’s just a nose ring.” Matsukawa deadpans. “I think you should just go for it.” 

“Father would never hear the end of it.” Makki says. 

“Just dye it pink, ya wimp.” The two second years turn to see Miya Osamu walk down the stairs, a bag of groceries in his hand. 

“What, going to go help the house elves? Never took you as the domestic type.” 

Osamu flips him the bird. 

You’re already in the kitchen putting on the rhino-patterned apron when he steps in, a bag of vegetables in hand. The house elves greet him amiably, politely asking about Master Miya’s health. The elves clear up the counter, and Miya sets down his bag, and goes to wash his hands in the sink next to you. You eye him, eyes narrowed.

“You know that the kitchen has everything right?”

“I like the premium stuff.”

“Okay, patrick.” 

A house elf tugs at the hem of your robes. “If there's anything you need Miss Akira, Winky is here to help.” 

“Thanks Winky. Can you teach me how to wink?” 

“Winky is not an expert winker, Miss Akira.” 

You open up the bag of groceries, taking out the curry cubes, carrots, potatoes, and a jar of saffron. An entire jar of saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. When you ask Osamu about how the heck he could afford such a luxury item, he casually shrugs it off. 

“We’re comfortable.”

The two of you spend the entire lunch in the kitchen, making Chinese chicken curry. The house elves, who are usually bustling and chattering about in the kitchen, are unusually quiet today. Winky exchanges a look with her friend, Boris. 

“Miss Akira asked Winky to teach her how to wink!” She whispers excitedly. “Winky suspects that-”

“Winky is overthinking.” Boris says. “Boris thinks Winky needs to find a hobby.” 

Winky gasps at the cruel statement. “This is Winky’s hobby!” 

“Cooking or gossiping about first years?” Boris tilts his head towards the direction of the duo, where you and Osamu were bickering over how many chili peppers should be added into the curry mixture. You lose the game of rock-paper-scissors again, and reluctantly watch Osamu sprinkle in half the bag of chili peppers. He adds in the dash of saffron, and puts the heat on low. You went to fetch a couple of plates to put the rice into, and when you turned to ask the house elves if they would like any, all of them had magically disappeared. 

“I guess it’s just us.” You say, scooping out the rice and handing the plates to him. Osamu ladles the curry over top of it, the piquant smell of curry and spices pleasantly wafting into the air. You sit down at the counter next to him, quietly eating your curry. It’s spicy, but the sweetness of the curry balances out the taste wonderfully. 

“I told you so.” Osamu says. 

“I get to pick what we’re making next time.” You tout. 

“Fine, but we’re making onigiri the next next time.” 

Twenty pairs of eyes watch from atop of the ceiling vents, and one of those pairs of eyes has a blazing fire in them. Winky’s eyes are tearing up at the scene unfolding in front of her. “Winky wasn’t overthinking!” She hisses, glaring at Boris. Boris shrugs. “Winky is being dramatic. It is just a cooking pastime.” 

Winky shakes her head violently, horrified at her friend’s cluelessness. “A cooking date. Miss Akira asked for another cooking date, and Master Miya offered a third!” 

“Dobby thinks so too!” Dobby agrees. “Does Mindy think so too?”

Mindy shakes her head. “Mindy thinks nothing of it. Mindy believes that Miss Akira prefers Master Kuroo.”

Polly, another house elf, frowns. “Polly thinks that Winky, Dobby, and Mindy are gravely mistaken. Miss Akira most certainly fancies Master Akaashi!”

Gamabunta, the wisest and the oldest house elf raises his hand. “Hear ye! Hear ye!” He croaks, “Gamabunta believes there must be a bet in order!” 

Winky’s eyes widened. “Winky agrees! Let the house elves of Hogwarts wager on who will turn Miss Akira’s heart!” 

There is a series of soft oohs heard throughout the confines of the ceiling. Even Boris is intrigued. Everyone settles their bets, the names of various boys scattered on the betting cards. Winky counts seven different names. She flips to the last card. It is empty. Gamabunta is sitting idly in the corner, his eyes closed in mediation. Winky approaches him. 

“Gamabunta? Winky noticed that Gamabunta hasn't voted yet.” Gamabunta waves Winky off dismissively. “It is not the time yet. I have a vision of a boy with no face nor no name, a boy from far away that is sure to take away Miss Akira’s heart.” He prophesied, “I shall hold my bet for now, and I will come to a deliberation in a few years time.” 

Gamabunta used to be a sage back in the day that predicted and turned the outcomes of great wars. Gamabunta was almost never wrong. Winky wonders who the nameless boy is. Winky decides it doesn’t matter, because Winky trusts her instincts, and her instincts are telling her that the only one for Miss Akira was Miya Osamu.


	15. Insulation

  


"You once asked me what running was. You said you wanted to know what it is. The answer is you. It's you." 

The glare of the television screen illuminates the brightness of the room, swatching the room a grey-blue. You are snuggled up comfortably beside Aone, a fuzzy quilt loosely draping over your forms. In the last two days, you had mastered the form of a true couch potato, curling your feet up against your chest and melting into the furniture. If you were a couch potato, then Aone was a stoic carrot. He sat up straight, without a hitch in his posture. His eyes are glaring at the television screen, the reflection of the main protagonists etched in his pupils. 

"I think," you muse, "running might not be so bad after all." During primary school, you had always had to run for volleyball practice. You had never gotten along with running. Running was your antagonist - it was always waiting for you at the start of every practice, leering at you with it's beady eyes. Running would steal all the oxygen from your body and set your thighs on fire. You were a slouchy runner, kind of like Prince in Run With the Wind, except you'd never be as strong of a runner he'd turned out to be. Maybe if someone dangled a dark choco-loco in front of you, you'd be motivated enough. You snicker as the image of Kenma chasing his Nintendo switch comes into mind. 

"..." Aone looks down at you, where you're idly resting your head on his arm. There's a sort of hermit wisdom in your glistening eyes, and he's not sure if you were getting teary from the show or if you were allergic to the quilt. He just hoped you weren't allergic to his shoulder. Kenji had told him before that the girls from class A-3 were all allergic to him, which was why they never came near his proximity. Aone was glad that you weren't in class A-3. Even so, he'd like to think that you'd lay on his shoulder anyway during movies, except you'd just have a Hazmat suit on. 

"Running is incomparable to volleyball." You proclaim. "But this sudden rush of inspiration drives me to do it now." You uncurl from your couch potato form, and transform back to regular Akira form. If you were in sailor moon, you'd be Sailor Potato, the intellectual fighter who is stocked with arsenals of movie and cartoon knowledge. 

"There's a blizzard outside." Aone motions to the window. 

"That's an awful joke, Taka. It never snows in Little Whinging. The weather's been damp all morning." 

"Look." 

You spare a cursory glance window. "Oh. It is snowing.”  
“Taka, it's snowing!" 

The quilt is neglected, as you race towards the genkan. The door handle is cold as you twist it open. Heavy gusts of wind and snow force themselves through the entryway, pushing past your face with icy impassiveness. You scrunch up your shoulders, shivering in the doorway. The landscape outside is a duvet of white - like a giant birthday cake that a sugar addict had soaked in icing. It was the first time you had seen real snow. Not the pathetic candle wax flakes that melted in a blink, but fat snowflakes that stayed for a sleepover. This was the kind of snow that could be capable of building flattering snowmen and infallible forts for secret meetings. 

Something heavy settles on your head, and vanishes when you turn. The quilt falls to the ground, and Aone stoops down to retrieve it. He folds it in half, and loosely drapes it around your neck. You fashion it into a faux shawl, drying the snow off of your hair. Aone closes the door, heading back to the living room. 

"I'm going outside."

Aone swivels around, and points adamantly to the stairs. You follow him up to his room. Aone had a very minimalistic room - beige walls fashioned with a single poster of the Beatles, a simple bed with the blanket tucked under the mattress, a half-empty bookshelf. And there was the new addition of a sewing machine perched on the table next to his window. Assortments of coiled yarn and neatly folded fabrics are carefully placed next to the sewing machine. You notice a tiny mannequin behind the pile of fabric. 

"Let me know if you're ever going on Project Runway one day." You tell him. "I'd personally fly you to America myself." You'd heard about the use of magical carpets in the Middle East, which sparked an irrevocable joy in the five year you hidden in the casket of your heart. You'd fly Aone over the Atlantic Ocean, and heck, you'd catch a genie between the spaces of North America and Europe if you were lucky enough. Maybe the genie could grant Aone extra time to complete those gnarly one day challenges. You try to picture what his confessionals would be like. He'd likely glare at the cameramen, if he wasn't so camera shy. Maybe you should videotape him to prepare. 

"Here," Aone hands you his down jacket, and goes back to rummaging through his wardrobe. The jacket carries a faint smell of mothballs. Your hands get lost in the oversized sleeves. The hem of the jacket stops mid-thigh, and you lament the days where you were an entire head taller than Aone. But that was five years ago, before he had suddenly started growing like Jack's beanstalk. Aone takes two pairs of gloves from his storage box and hands the smaller one to you. It's the pair of Spongebob gloves that you had given to him on his sixth birthday. The print of Handsome Squidward is starting to wear out. 

You're starting to wear out. The snow is bleeding through your sneakers and each of your fingers are chunks of ice. The blizzard isn't letting up anytime soon. It had already buried the lower half of the snowman you and Taka had built just fifteen minutes ago. It was a struggle for you to move through the marsh of snow that pooled at your knees. One of your boots gets caught in something, and you fall into the snow. 

It didn't exactly give Mrs. Aone a good impression of you when she came home to see Aone dragging you through the snow, trying to get you to the front door. It was a bit humiliating.

Once inside, Taka's mother fixes each of you a cup of hot chocolate. Mrs. Aone sits herself adjacent to you. She takes a sip of her coffee. "How's school been, [Y/N]-chan? Takabu's been awfully quiet without you around. " Under the table, you nudge Taka's foot. He is focused on his mug, but the flush of his cheeks gives away his embarrassment. 

"It's been fun. I've really enjoyed my classes so far, although my History of Mag-Mathematics professor is always trying to throw me into detention. I've made a lot of friends too - I've even befriended a Giant Squid." 

Taka quietly nudges your foot.

"Um, I mean, not an actual Giant Squid! It's our mascot!" You blurt out, hoping that your cover isn't blown. 

Mrs. Aone chuckles. "A Giant Squid mascot for a school so high up in the mountains?"

Your feet start to tap rapidly on the floor. "Well, there's a giant lake near us. Legend has it that an enormous squid lives there, but there has never been any proof." 

"That's like Nessie, isn't it, [Y/N]-chan?"  
You frown. "Inky isn't like Nessie. Inky's her own unique self." You insist, before catching yourself again. "I've named her already you see, now I'll just have to find her. You'll come with me right, Taka?" 

Aone nods, glancing at his mother for permission. Mrs. Aone shrugs. "Don't look at me, kiddo. Live your adventure. Just don't cause trouble for [Y/N]-chan, alright?" Which was an extremely ironic statement, as more often than naught, it was you who always dragged Aone off to less than savory expeditions. It was you who coerced Aone to place a whoopie cushion in his third grade teacher's chair and put thumbtacks in his fourth grade bully's seat. To this day, Aone still remembered the look of pain on the bully's face. It was something he regretted doing, yet you had been so proud of him. Ah. Suddenly you felt that Mrs. Aone's statement is directed towards you. 

"The snow doesn't seem to be stopping soon." Mrs. Aone comments, staring out the window. There is a bit of sadness in her eyes, before they light up again. She suddenly rises from her chair and claps her hands together. "Oh I know! Why don't you two take some snow?" Mrs. Aone opens a kitchen cabinet. The cabinet is lined with all sorts of jars -square jars, rectangular jars, circular jars - she chooses a short, round jar and hands it to you. 

"It would be a cute memento to look back on." There is a sort of brightness in Mrs. Aone's smile that you can't quite place. She gives you a quick wink. 

You stare at the empty jar. The words, 'Hidan Candles', are engraved into the glass. A small upside down triangle inside of a circle is engraved beside it. You wonder for a moment what Hidan Candles smelled like, but you choose not to ask. After all, how could Mrs. Aone explain what triangles smelled like to you? You and Aone finish your hot chocolate, and set them in the sink to soak. You remove the puffy white jacket that's facing the heater and put it on. You wait for Aone to finish putting on his gloves before leaving the house. 

Snow dusts your cheeks as you look around to find the best patch of snow. Should you choose the snow that had fallen on the bushes or the grass? The concrete or the gnomes? 

"What do you think, Taka?" 

Taka points at the deformed snowman drowning in the sea of snow. Only the snowman's head is visible, and their small button eyes are bituminous coals, pleading for you to save it from conformity. Their head, slowly bending to the storm. You are staring down at the poor snowman that couldn't even live to see the sun-fall, much less night-fall.  
"Let's save our snowman, Taka." You say, lip quivering, shoulders shuddering. The snow a smear of white. A red glove blots your vision, gently wiping away your tears. Aone pats your back, before realizing that back-patting is disagreeable in this situation, so he transitions to awkwardly rubbing half-crescents on your back instead. 

"We didn't even get to name it." 

"Licht."

"Licht?" 

Aone nods, looking at the snowman. He extends his hand towards you, and you caps the candle jar into his palm. You coorie beside Licht, and run your fingers over their big disformed face. You couldn't even give Licht a proper mouth. You dig your finger into Licht's skin, and carve a frown on their face. Licht frowns disapprovingly at you. You erase the frown, and replace it with a smile. The smile is too lopsided and happy for such an occasion. You erase the smile. Licht didn't need a mouth, they wouldn't be able to speak even if you gave them one. Licht spoke with their eyes instead, and right now, the eyes are quietly waiting for their fate. You scoop a chunk of Licht's forehead and place it into the jar. Then you scoop up more of Licht's head, the part where their snow-brain would be. It was too late to retrieve the snow-heart. Aone points to Licht's eyes. You brush a hand over those bituminous buttons, closing them. The eyes slide off of Licht's face, and into the palm of your hand.

"I'm sorry." You whisper, as you embed the eyes into the jar. Jar-Licht stares blankly at you. You stare back. Aone glances at you, then Jar-Licht, and then back at Licht's mutilated head in the snow. Then back at you. You catch his gaze. He points at the horizon, in which the sun is starting to dip down into the earth. The sky is an elephant gray. Aone coories next to you, being careful not to drop the jar. The three of you sit there for a few minutes, enveloped in the quiet whistling of the wind whistling a tune of boundless clarity. It is not clarity that reaches your muffled ears, but a sense of doom. You are not sure where the source of this doom-ness is coming from, but it's there, tucked in the dimming light, waiting and doting on time. 

After a while, the two of you head back in. Mrs. Aone hands the two of you frosted sugar cookies. “Your father and brother should be heading here soon with Mr. Aone.” She says. “Enjoy the peace while it lasts.” You and Aone spend the next half-hour playing Othello and catching up on the latest school drama. You tell him about the small volleyball ‘club’ that you had created, and whisper to Aone about Quidditch out of his mother’s earshot.  
“It’s not as fun as volleyball, of course.” You say matter-of-factly. But there’s something about flying upside down on a broomstick that sets cheap thrills in your bones. It was those freaking bludgers that gave you anxiety; being hit by one eventually is inevitable. You were fly at flying, but you were far from omnipotent. Even great quidditch players got their teeth knocked out occasionally. (It was nothing Skele-gro that couldn’t fix.) But you aren’t even an official quidditch player. You are great, however.

“What about you Taka? How’s school?” You ask, as you flip over a few more chips.  
He nods briefly. ‘Good’, his eyes say. Then he points at you with his right hand, then to him with his left, and extends his arms. You clasp his wrists and bring his hands back together. 

“I know. I missed you too. But we’re together now, aren’t we? I know two weeks isn’t very long, but maybe if I can find a way to magically stop time…”  
Aone flips the final game-piece. All your remaining black chips are flipped white, and you groan. He wears the slightest sign of a grin on his face.  
“Aw, way to cut off my sentimental dialogue.”  
Aone frowns. You shake your head, “Don’t be sorry, silly! I was having trouble completing the sentence anyway. The great Akira runs out of words to say sometimes too, you know.” Aone flushes in embarrassment. 

The jar in the freezer tries to settle in it’s new home. Jar-Licht doesn’t seem to mind the plastic bags full of frozen bug eyed fish that are staring at it from the shelf above. The jar would let out a sigh if it could. The temperature made the jar sweat icicles - it wasn’t so used to the cold. The jar was used to the warmth of a fire and the smell of melting wax. The jar missed the fire greatly, it was the thing that made the jar feel more alive. More human. Oh well. It would have to adapt to its new place of confinement. The jar tries to stare ahead, but it is difficult to stare in one direction, much less try to close its eyes when the jar’s eyes are the glass surrounding it’s entire body. The jar sighs, and stares at Jar-Licht's face. ‘You would have to do.’ 

There is a faint green glow in the darkness of the freezer, and then nothing.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

Aone takes you downtown on the day before Christmas eve. Thin sheets of snow dust the crammed buildings that line the street. The lamplights are lit in the gray afternoon, murky yellow diffusing into the cloudless sky. The streets are mainly empty, save for the occasional couple or two. The sane people of Little Whinging stayed inside during such indecorous temperatures, which is also why most of the stores are closed. You gawk at the stunning glass displays of wigs at one particular shop. Those poor mugglefolk, needing to spend so much money on something that could be easily fixed with a simple spell or remedied with Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Aone curiously cocks his head at you when you mention those spells. He subconsciously pats the white hair on his head.

"Not that you'd need any weird hair potion or anything." You laugh, "The color of your hair sparks me joy." 

He tries to hide his blush in his scarf. 

He glances down at the sidewalk, and takes a sideways peek at you. The distance between you and him is the width of half a volleyball. Your gloved hands are happily swaying to and fro. Handsome squidward stares off somewhere in the distance, feeling very dizzy. The distance is not too far, Aone thinks. It never is. But why does he find it so hard to close? He has little trouble closing off the distance of an opponent's spike - it shouldn't be that different to close off the empty space between his fingers to yours. Your hands stop swaying. Aone looks away and then freezes when you suddenly pull his hand and try to drag him forward. 

"Look!" You point to something up ahead. "That voodoo shop up ahead is open!" 

The owner of the voodoo shop calmly explains to you that this was indeed not a voodoo shop, but in fact her magical palace that she is residing in. It is a fantasy-themed store with planets dangling from the ceiling and all sorts of odd trinkets scatter the shelves. The owner in question is a short, stout lady with dark green hair sticking up in seven different directions, and the ridiculously layered steampunk dress she is wearing has countless bows attached on the sleeves. The buckled shoes that the woman is wearing is painted brown, red, and green. It gave you the illusion that she was walking on hamburgers. You try not to stare at her for too long. 

"You know, I was Queen once, but a cult group took over my kingdom and now I am forced into hiding." The owner sighs. "Queen Risa, they used to call me." 

You inspect the shattered mirror on the pink wall. Your reflection waves at you. You furrow your eyebrows and lean closer. The reflection folds her arms and smirks. "Queen is a bit over-rated." You say, moving on to look at the trinkets in the display window. "Down with the monarchy." The vials next to the display stand look suspiciously similar to the ones in Potions class. Perhaps they ordered the vials from the same company? You turn your attention to a tiny suitcase, it’s surface etched in runes. 

"Don't tell anyone this, but I'm hiding my unicorns in this trunk." You're startled by the ominous whisper beside your ear, and you turn to see the owner staring at you. Goosebumps bloom down your neck. You want to laugh off her statement and declare her insane, but the dark gleam in her eyes convinces you otherwise. But there was no way any unicorn could fit into a trunk this small. The only way it was possible was if Risa had chopped them up into bits of unicorn strips...You take a sharp intake of breath. Why was it that you always had to associate unicorns with death? It sure as heck wasn’t Miya Atsumu’s fault. That was for sure. A pair of red, carnivorous eyes flash beneath your eyelids. 

"You dismembered them, didn't you?" You accuse. 

Risa wants to facepalm herself, but as a former queen, she maintains her composure. This child knew very little about the world, and Risa is concerned that a girl her age was bringing up such gory topics. Risa was a queen, and queens didn't kill magical beings. Risa pauses and scrutinizes the girl. She was young, but she looked far past the age of believing in magical creatures. Normally, girls her age would stare at her in disbelief and spread rumors about Risa being 'off her rockers.' 

"This suitcase is magical." She whispers, placing her manicured hands on the girl's shoulders. "It has stairs that lead down to a huge emporium where my unicorns are safely kept healthy and whole, my dear." 

"Can I see?" Your eyes are wide, brimming with curiosity and trepidation. "Your secret will be safe with me. And Taka." 

The owner pauses, trying to weigh the pros and cons of the situation. Pro. She could be this century's version of Mary Poppins and lead two eleven year old kids through a cute adventure. They would dance upon a field of enchanted tulips and break into song. Con. Risa was terrible at freestyling. No matter how many music lessons she had taken in her wee princess years, she could never finagle the correct tune out of her guitar. The most she could was eke out a few lines of spoken word. Maybe instead of singing she could just...let them ride the unicorns? Her unicorns were very picky however - they only approached the purest of hearts - which was why so many of them came to her. You are staring out Risa expectantly, and the other child was staring at one of her walls. Right. There was one more con: It was a no-no to expose any semblance of the magical world to muggles. 

"Don't worry." You repeat. "I won't hurt them. Just keep them away for the Forbidden Forest." 

What got down in the Forbidden Forest? By the hushed tone of your voice, it certainly didn't seem like anything good. Risa nods towards the direction of the boy. "And the muggle?" 

There's a flash of disappointment in your eyes. 'And the muggle' sounded so...paltry. It sounded like Aone was a NPC, trying to fulfill his regrets in a world far away, instead of fighting alongside you at the Battlefront. It sounded like there was no consideration in bothering to know his name, his worth. 

"He's not just a muggle." You say defensively. "Taka's my best friend, and he never would rat me out. Don't brush him off as if he's a mere leaf. He'll be the greatest blocker in all of England one day. Don't confuse a Tank with an NPC." 

Risa isn't sure what in Merlin's beard a Tank or an NPC was, but she was intrigued by how authoritative and demanding you were. You wanted to drag Aone into the spotlight with you, but her instincts told him that the 'Tank' was too shy to be stuck in the spotlight. That would have to change. It is then when she notices that the boy is staring at her, his face set in a tight frown. His eyebrows are furrowed, nose scrunched, his hair white. His hair is white. Risa widens her eyes. She leans forward, hands on her hips, and studies the boy. Her green eyes glow purple. She doesn't blink for a long time, and you grow uncomfortable at the thought of a self-proclaimed queen checking out your childhood friend. After a moment, Risa finally blinks, and the purple is gone. 

"Aone Takanobu-kun is welcome to come along." 

You look at her skeptically. "What spell did you put him under?" If this was a spell that provided the stats of a person, then you were truly disappointed in whoever created the spell. Every person had their own enigma, (although some more beguiling than others) and having that information divulged by means of magic was unfortunate. If you were Risa, you would have just asked Aone for his number - not that he had one. Aone would probably misinterpret and tell you his jersey number. 

Risa shrinks into herself under your gaze. It was unbefitting for a queen to be falsely suspected for nefarious purposes. You were awfully pessimistic for an eleven year old. "I have simply used my Seer insight, Miss Sus. And my Seer insight deems your friend as trustworthy." She explains. You wonder if Risa could see 20/20 into your future. What would become of you after you had graduated from Hogwarts? Where would you go? Would you stay in England or would you tame dragons in the mountains of Hungary? It is a question that would be saved for the you that existed 2,190 tomorrows from now. 

Aone refuses to go down the suitcase. He was a simple boy and simple, good boys didn't want to risk trampling the unicorns. So you politely decline and you excuse the two of you from the shop. "It's okay." You tell him. "It's better to have unicorns seek you out than you them. It's more fairytale-esque. I bet if I put you in any enchanted forest, all the unicorns would be absolutely beguiled by you." 

"..." Aone tucks his hands in his pockets, and stares down at his feet. Unicorns sounded great and all, but he wasn't you. Unicorns weren't a part of his world, and as much as he'd like to see them, he doesn't think it is his right to trespass into that part of your world. You were free to swim with mermaids with flawless skin routines and chase after dragons if you wanted to. The distance between you and him bared an unspeakable boundary. You were magical while he was not. You could learn how to create fire with a flick of your wand and he could learn with a pile of sticks. You had the ability to fly - the closest Aone could ever get to flying was riding a plane. Maybe if technology advanced fast enough, and if he was rich enough, he could buy a jet suit. Although the two of you have grown up in the same neighborhood, you were destined to leave him for bigger things. Aone didn't need the attention of unicorns. Unicorns were strangers. You were not. You were familiar and safe. As long as he had some part of your attention, he was content. The long distance letter thing left him a bit lonely though. Sometimes Aone wished he could be Keiji just for a day, just so he fly home to you. Hogwarts was your home now, while Little Whinging was his. It was something that he had accepted months ago - so why is it that he's still in denial?

Aone looks at your swaying hands, looks at the distance between the two of you. Half a volleyball was too far away.


	16. Schokolade 🍫

  


Christmas dinner is a messy affair.

You struggle to stay silent as Lucas tells the story of La Befana, an Italian witch that went around to children's homes giving them candy or coal depending on their behavior. You hated the fact that witches were portrayed as old hags with terribly oversized warts on their noses that had an ungodly obsession with brewing potions. You were certainly not a hag and definitely had no intention of chasing after potions. Potions was overrated - ever since that incident in the beginning of the year, you had double-checked and triple-checked your cauldron before usage. You know that Miya wouldn't put bulbadox powder in your cauldron again, but you couldn't help but inspect your it for signs of foul play. You wanted to inform Lucas and the Aones that potions were a lot more complicated than throwing toads (Kuroo would never) and eyeballs into a big, boiling, spaghetti pot.

"Santa Claus is Chinese." You blurt out. 

Five pairs of eyes curiously glance at you. 

"What?" Adam croaks suspiciously. 

You take another bite of your turkey. "Why do you think all the toys are made in China? And why he wears red? It's clearly because he's Chinese."

"I'm not a baby anymore. You can't trick me." Lucas says, crossing his arms. 

"Sorry, who was the one that wet-"

"Now, now, you two," Mr. Akira cuts in, "be civil."

"Yeah, Lucas, be civil. You should learn more from your Nee-san, you know." 

Lucas shoots you a glare. You pretend not to notice as you continue to eat. The grownups are talking about business things, about how stocks are dropping and which ones were worth investing. It was all too complex for you to understand, so you quietly finish your mashed potatoes and ponder.

...Hold on, wouldn't it make more sense if Santa Claus was a wizard? He'd be well-versed in mass mind reading - legilimency, as Oikawa had called it - to know what all the kids wanted for Christmas. He'd have a time-turner that would enable him to travel the world in one night. Santa wouldn't even have to worry about going down the chimney because he could just apparate into each house and pop the gifts under the tree. And hey, if Santa got caught, he could simply oblivate their memories away. Then, instead of elves, he would have house-elves make all the toys. Perhaps some transfiguration and charms would be involved in the toy making process? Santa being a wizard made a lot more sense. A Chinese wizard. Grandpa Christmas, rather than Father Christmas. You'd just have to ask one of your pureblood friends about it once you got back from winter break.

"So?" Felicity pauses the video. "What do you think?"

"It has a good beat."

"That's it?!" Felicity is distraught as she restarts the music video again. "This - this is the song of the century! Just imagine, going on five dates with five cute boys all in the span of 4 minutes - I'd fall for Harry a million times over!"

You grab your calculator that is hanging haphazardly on your desk and punch in some numbers. You click the 'enter' button and frown. "I don't know...one minute and twenty five seconds seems a little short for one date." You put your calculator back on your desk. Felicity gapes at you.

"...What?" 

"[Y/N]-chan, you don't know how much money people would pay to see them for those one minute and twenty five seconds. But even you have to appreciate how the POV is set up. It's kind of like those self-insert fanfictions, but with visuals."

"Self-inserts are just illusions, Feli. What's the point in daydreaming when it's all going to disappear when you wake up? Besides, the ex was pretty rude, disrespecting all that spaghetti. It's such a waste of food."

"It's okay to daydream. Even if it's only just for a moment, even if it's not real, that little bit of happiness is worth daydreaming about." Felicity says softly. "It's why I have one crush in each of my classes - so I feel a little bit of happiness each time I walk into the classroom."

"Wow, that's some S level logic right there." 

"Don't be so sarcastic, you grump!" Felicity chides. "Anyway, Zayn still looked so flawless even all that spilled wine and spaghetti. I'd much rather ice skate with Harry though - he could spin me around all day! Say, [A/N]-chan-" Felicity's voice drops an octave, "are there any cute boys in your posh Amish school that you'd date?"

Images of Akaashi, Miya, and Oikawa, flash through your mind. "Not an Amish school."

"Eh, is [Y/N]-chan dodging the question?"

"No. I was just wondering if you needed to see a child psychiatrist."

Felicity looks hurt before recovering. "Say, [Y/N]-chan, what did Aone-san give you for Christmas?"

"It's a secret."

"Aww, but I'm your best friend!" The room falls silent and Felicity curves her mouth upwards, her one left dimple coming into view. She leans into your ear. "Did he give you-" Felicity taps on your cheek. "A...kiss?"

You frown. "What? No. It's too early to be receiving kisses."

Keiji hoots in the background.

"Did you ever talk to Kags?"

Felicity lets out a frustrated huff. "It's so hard to get his attention, [Y/N]-chan! He's always so cold - how'd you befriend him? Is he a tsundere, [Y/N]-chan? What kind of girls does he like?"

"He's not all that cold. He's just a simple volleyball idiot."

And apparently, Kageyama Tobio was a bit of an idiot when it came to grammar. Proofreading his essay had been a nightmare. 

"If you say so, [Y/N]-chan. It's just so hard..."

"I'm sure you can do it."

The two of you are sitting on the floor, crouched over a 1,000 piece puzzle you had bought downtown. You are scavenging for the border pieces while Aone is trying to piece them together. You wonder how long this would take to finish- a few hours? A few days? A few weeks? You didn't have a few weeks. You swing you arms over your head into a stretch, glazing over the paintings on the walls. You settle at the plastic stars on your ceiling. Some of them are peeling. You rise up from the floor, and place your hands on your hips. 

"Let's exchange gifts."

Aone looks up from the puzzle, and nods.

You reach into your drawer and extract a small box. "Happy Christmas," you say, as you give him your gift.

"Happy Christmas." He says, as he gives you his.

You unwrap the gift, and pull off the lid. You peek at the large globe inside the box, and carefully take it out.

"I know you miss your stars..." Aone starts, before shyly looking away.

You beam at his reddening face. "Thank you Taka."

You place the moon lamp on your nightstand and turn off the lights. The controller clicks on. The moon glows a default pink. You take a step back from the nightstand, hands on your hips and a big smile on your face.

"I love my moon lamp - look at how it blushes at my flattery."

The light reflected from the moon lamp paints your outline pink. 

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Headmaster Jiraiya nearly sets the Great Hall on fire that morning.

Outside, a snowstorm had been brewing, and everyone had filed into the Great Hall to take shelter from the toads falling out of the sky. You were convinced that the extreme weather was an indicator of climate change, yet Sugawara insists that it had to be a little bit of 'Christmas magic' in play. You frankly tell him that Christmas is very much over. You were still quite puzzled by the sudden blizzard that had blown over Christmas break - the snow had coated the town in a fairytale-like presence, before the dogs peed all over the snow. Then people started driving after the roads were finally cleared, and the snow had become a sad muddy color. You were glad that you saved Licht from that same fate. The large heaps of dirty snow had been piled up like dismantled corpses, waiting for rot under the sunlight's blaze. 

"[Y/N]-san?" Sugawara's voice snaps you out of your reverie. There's a glint of curiosity in his brown eyes. "What's wrong? You're clogging the entrance."

You blink, and look at the bustling people around you. You were standing smack center in the doorway, and people weaved their way around you, like forest ants weaving around a fallen log. You begin to shuffle your feet forward as well, not failing to pinch Sugawara's cheek as you passed him.

"What was that for, [Y/N]-san? You should be nicer to your fellow Housemate, you know." Sugawara huffs as he trails after you.

"I'm plenty nice." You say, as you take your seat at the Hufflepuff table. Your empty cup automatically fills up with sencha. You pick up the cup and take a sip, and notice the two intense second years sitting across from you.

"Looks like those two are going at it again." Sugawara laughs, as he takes a seat next to you. "Who do you reckon will win?"

You shrug. "I should have faith in my senpai, but..."

"But?"

Sugawara's question falls deaf to your ears as you watch the battle of the century unfoil before you - one that you would have to top later - as you continue to sip at your tea. Terushima Yuji and Semi Eita are facing each other, elbows locked on the table, struggling to claim victory. Terushima is watching Semi with an amused grin, while Semi is glaring at Terushima. A clout of onlookers slowly gather around the table, whispering and waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the battle. It is Terushima that slams Semi's hand down on the table first. There is a cacophony of both cheers and sighs that resound from the audience of second and third years.

"Aw, guess you're still a weak little boy, eh?" Terushima mocks, his grin blown wide open. "Try better next year."

Semi scowls. "One day, I will become stronger than you and I will be the one laughing in the end."

"That's whatcha said last year, Semi-strong."

Clink. Clink. Clink. The sound of a spoon clanging on class resounds throughout the Great Hall, and everyone turns to face the front of the room. Headmaster Jiraiya sets down his cutlery and walks to the owl-podium. "Good morning students! Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts. It's 2013, BABY!" Jiraiya promptly holds up two rock signs. "The frog sage had a bit of a falling out this morning, but it's all resolved now. I hope everyone had a fantastic winter break and now that it's a new year, it's a new start! Or as they say..." Jiraiya lets out a sniffle. "For those rejected souls - have no fear, for this year is your year! Thank you." With that, Jiraiya snaps his fingers, and all the plates begin to fill up with food. "Enjoy! It's the house elves' holiday special!"

"Poor bloke - he should give it up already." Hanamaki mutters.

"Let him chase after his woman."

"When'd you get so mature, Matsukawa?"

You stare at the giant, fluffy stack of pancakes in front of you. You are about to dig in, but the decoration hinders you from doing so. You gawk at the syrup, in which someone had meticulously poured in the shape of a fox. It is a very familiar fox. A single saffron crocus is placed beside the stack of pancakes. You pick up the violet flower to take a closer look at it. You examine the bright red stigma and take a sniff. It's earthy, with a pinch of sweetness. You go to place the flower back on the plate, when suddenly, the pancakes vanish. It is replaced with sanma shioyaki. The body is a grilled fish is sizzling before you, the smell of freshly grilled fish makes your stomach growl. You grab your fork and lick your lips. The fish's cold, dead eyes stare up at you. You blink. The food is gone. You smelled the familiar scent before the new dish even appears in front of you. It's a full plate of tuna salad. You wrinkle your nose, the fishy smell oddly familiar. Why was it familiar if you had never had tuna before? There was no way you were going to eat the pink glob of pescado anytime soon. The plate seemed to agree with you, and the tuna disappeared as quickly as it appeared. It is replaced with scones and apricot jam. Apprehensively, you reach for a scone, scarfing it down before it could vanish. You grab another one, and are relieved that the food doesn't disappear. 

"What's with your ever-changing plate?" Sugawara asks, as he chomps down on his waffles.

"Who knows? Maybe it's being indecisive today."

Back in the kitchens, the house elves are having quite the ruckus. The cooking staff are rushing around, carrying all sorts of various desserts, shouting and arguing in the busy corner of the room. "Let Polly through!" Polly screeches, as she shoves her DIY dish into the magical chimney.

An enormous cake greets you for dessert. It is a very elaborate cake, where one side of the cake is curved inwards and designed like a library, with books crammed into bookshelves. There is even a chocolate ladder leaning on the shelves, as well as an edible desk and a miniature globe next to the cake. You fail to notice the white stand near the ladder, in which the characters '赤葦' is engraved upon it's blank slate. It is too elaborate and large of a cake for you to finish alone. Just when you are about to cut a piece, the cake vanishes. Your knife angrily slashes through the air. Alright, now the plate was just toying with you.

"Polly!" Winky shouts. "That was a criminal act, Winky thinks! Polly is going overboard!"

"Winky." Boris deadpans. 

Winky very carefully turns her head to the side to face Boris. "Boris agrees with Winky, does Boris not? Polly is being overboard." Winky's bony arms are trembling as she tries to hold herself upright while she makes her way to the chimney.

"If Winky thinks that Polly is going overboard..." (Winky vigorously nods at this) "...Then what is Winky?"

Winky shoves the heavy dessert that she had been carrying into the magical chimney. The dessert is engulfed in blue flames before it disappears. "Winky does not know what Boris is talking about." Winky says, as she clears her hands.

Polly raises her eyebrows disbelievingly.

"What is that?"

"Dude, that's sick! Let's trade, Akira!"

"Umm...doesn't this kind of look like-"

"You should blow it up, yeah? A chocolate explosion would be fun~"

"..." This had to be some sort of sick joke. Was the new year working against you? Was this some sort of hallucination? No, the chocolate statue looked too real for this to be an illusion. You would have happily taken any other chocolate statue and accept it with a wary laugh - a chocolate frog statue, a chocolate koala statue, or heck, you would even prefer a chocolate stink-bug statue over this one. But no, some kind of strange deity had deemed it entertaining to carve a one foot, four inch, chocolate statue of Miya Osamu, stick it on your plate and called it dessert! Your face burns red as people come over and take a closer look at the statue.

Sugawara whispers your worst fear into your ear.

"Doesn't that kind of look like one of the Miya twins?"

Shoot, did people already recognize its face? What if people started whispering boundless rumors behind your back that you were some sort of creep that enjoyed carving statues of your peers in your leisure time? You couldn't have them thinking such absurd things. You were an artist at heart, but there are certain extremities that artists should not cross. For Da Vinci, it was getting a bunch of grave robbers to dig up a dead body so he could draw better, for you, it was making chocolate sculptures of your classmates. Apparently? You didn't know. You didn't want to know, so you did the only thing that your frantic mind could think of. You grab the statue by its torso in one hand, and with your other hand, you wrap your fingers around its face, and snap its neck. You drop the head back on the platter. Sugawara's bowl of pudding is stolen and its contents poured over the beheaded statue's face, effectively covering its identity from peering eyes. You take out your wand and point it at your plate.

"Incendio."

From the other end of the Great Hall, a warm draft of wind passes through the Slytherin table. Osamu rubs his burning neck.


	17. Dance of Trolls

Enter: The New Era.

You are sitting at the Hufflepuff table, your legs comfortably stretched out underneath the table, occasionally kicking the ruffian across from you, having a great old time reuniting with your fellow housemates when it happens. Now, you'd like to think yourself a nice person. You'd prided yourself in that. You never started a fight that you couldn't win (primary school excluded), never blew your temper when matched against the nastiest of homo-sapiens. (You were too cool to get angry.) You never have hurt anyone (save for those delinquent bullies that deserved a little bit of a push pin-pricking.) You are talking with Sugawara and Ame when the doors of the Great Hall burst open, and the heavy smell of salt water wafts through the year. 

"-And so that's why Tanaka shaved his head, can you believe it? The poor child is so inveterately-" Sugawara talks animatedly with his hands. 

"Oh shirt, those first years got drenched!" Someone shouts.

"Don't be so harsh on the child, Sugawara. He's only eleven, after all." You continue, not particularly interested in the ruckus. You were too mature for the little things. 

"Ohohoho is it squid ink that my eyes behold?" 

You stiffen, and very slowly pan your gaze past Sugawara's shoulder to verify the situation. Sure enough, there is a trio of first years standing in the middle of the entryway, covered in black ink. In any other setting, you would have mistaken them for Soot Sprite cosplayers. There is a tall and lanky boy yelling at a short boy. The short boy has his arms firmly glued to his sides, terrified eyes fixed on tall and lanky. Just when tall and lanky finishes his rant, boy two starts shouting back at him. Boy one squints his eyes, and starts bickering with him again. The third boy stands a few feet behind them, likely embarrassed for his companions. Madame Pomphrey warily approaches the trio - the last thing she wanted to do was to patch up some kids. The two boys refuse to unhand each other. Madame Pomfrey has no choice but to walk out hauling two sulking boys under each of her arms. Boy three reluctantly threads behind them. 

Madam Pomfrey was really pulling out some solid flex. Not even the seventh years stood a chance. From the Gryffindor table, Kenma pokes at Kuroo's biceps.

"Weak." He mutters from his Gameboy. 

Kuroo indignantly puffs out his chest. "I'm still a growing boy! One day, you’ll thank me for carrying you effortlessly through a ring of fire with my glorious arms.” 

“Why would I be in a ring of fire?”

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"So."

A wave of tuna breath fans over your face, and you wrinkle your nose. If you were blindfolded for the rest of your life, you were positive that you would always be able to sniff out Miya Atsumu, offender of space bubbles and poetry. You turn to face him, and lo and behold, the little fox has a pasty smirk on his face. You frown. There was something off about that Slytherin punk. Something so off that it burned bright yellow bulbs into your eyes. You stare at the nest on his head. 

"I know it was you, 'Kira." 

You were not close enough with Atsumu for him to call you weird names. You don't know whether to be flattered or disgusted. Whether he was calling you a god or a killer. If you were Kira, did that make Inky your Ryuk? 

"Say her name properly, you illiterate nostril." Semi scowls. 

"Semi-san!" Reon Ohira chides, before apologizing to Miya. Miya doesn't pay attention to either of them. He has his eyes glued to you. There's a nasty gleam in those eyes that makes you want to pull out a fire extinguisher on him. Unfortunately, this was Hogwarts, and the Wizarding Folk went to great lengths to make sure that safety precautions were as unreachable as possible. 

"You're so lame, Tuna Boy." 

"Yer reputation is on the line here, and yer callin' me names?" 

"If you're done talking, I'm heading back-"

"Wait!" Miya calls after you. "I'm negotiating!" 

You stare at him, waiting as he wastes the precious seconds of your dinner feast. 

Miya raises his index finger. "I won't tell the headmaster about the Giant Squid...if ya tell the whole school that ya modeled the chocolate stature after me, not that arse 'Samu."

'Samu? Was Miya really being this petty? 

"Don't be a butthole." You deadpan. "I'm flattered that you think I'm able to accurately carve Osamu in chocolate, but if you start that whole rumor about me-" You take what you hoped to be an aggressive step towards him. "-then I might as well tell the whole school that I carried Kitsumu in distress out the forbidden forest? You can wave goodbye to your bad boy career."

Miya gulps as you take another slow step forward. 

"...And say hello to the cute, pastel, protect!Atsumu life. I can and will bleach your banana hair into pink frills." 

"Please don't-" Miya whispers fearfully, the words slipping out without his permission. Miya hopes you don't hear them. "That's classified information!" 

"You aren't classy enough to be classified." You turn on your heel and head back. 

Miya lets out a relieved sigh. 

Your voice echoes down the hallway, as you turn around with a dangerous sneer."Don't worry! I'll give your hair some extensions too~" You sing, skipping merrily back to the Great Hall. 

Back at the table, the feast starts. Semi stares at the long line of unsorted first years at the front of the room. 

"I wonder which one of those little runts will be joining us this year." 

Ohira frowns. "Semi-san, getting first years to run errands for you is a little bit..." 

"I'll make good use of them." 

Poor Yamaguchi. It isn't the Slytherins that he has to watch out for.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"-So that's why my parents finally let me have an owl! Isn't that the coolest?" Bokuto boasts, exuberant eyes twinkling. "Mom says that now that I'm thirteen, I've got to be more responsible. I even cleaned out my school bag! I'll be the responsibilist in the whole school! If I did that, mom will let me have another pet next year!"

"It is ‘most responsible’, Bokuto-san." Akaashi says from behind his book.

"You're a teenager." You state. "Why is a teenager like you hanging around with noble kids like us? Tell me of your motives, villain."

Bokuto looks surprised before he catches on and clears his throat proudly. "Listen and listen well! I am Bokuto, protector of animals and children alike, the best of the best! I am not a villain-" Bokuto dramatically places one hand on his heart- "...I am a hero!" 

"I am going to create an owl army, hero." You whisper, protecting your plans from prying ears. "Will you help me?" 

"Hey hey hey! A hero is always giving a helping hand!" 

"Good." You say. "Because Keiji won't talk to me." 

A dead pause. Bokuto tilts his head. A question mark condenses from the wisps of his hair. 

"Kei...ji?" Bokuto is utterly confused. Was he missing something? When did his best friend get so close with the Hufflepuff girl? Was this why you were always hanging out with Akaashi in the library? Was Bokuto intruding on Akaashi’s library day with you? Akaashi is quiet and often keeps to himself. Bokuto wonders if there are other things that Akaashi has been keeping away from him. There probably was. Bokuto is an open book, loud captions scribbled within each and every page. Footnotes are marked after every other sentence, trying to translate Bokuto-speak to common speak so that others would understand him. There isn't a lot of things that Bokuto doesn't tell Akaashi. In fact, Bokuto does not think he has any big secrets. He wanted to talk about his passions, his dreads, and his days with whoever was willing to listen to him. It made him happy when Akaashi always listened to him patiently. While Bokuto was an open book, Akaashi was a blue moleskin journal, string bound tightly from spine to textblock. Akaashi gave concise responses and rarely instigated conversation. Akaashi seemed to always know what Bokuto was thinking about. Sometimes he wondered if Akaashi was secretly a legilimens. 

Bokuto wordlessly gapes at Akaashi. You follow Bokuto's gaze and look over at Akaashi too, who stirs from his reading. His face is bland, as per usual. He gives the two of you a quizzical look. You shake your head and laugh. 

"That's Akaashi. Keiji is my owl." 

"Woahhh, that's so cool! Your owl shares names with Akaashi! Isn't that a neat coincidence?" 

"It's not a coincidence." You reply. "I named my owl after Brains here." 

Huh. Bokuto's earlier train of thoughts are confirmed. Point one - you liked Akaashi so much that you named an owl after him. Point two - you confidently call him Brains - even Bokuto hasn't strayed into the meadow of nicknames when it came to Akaashi.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

Akaashi was really just trying to do some light reading. To him, the library was the one place that he felt most at peace in. It was a haven filled with the cogs of brains clicking, the lighting of billions of neurons working together to solve a mystery. Akira had said that she would come too. Something about finishing her homework. Akaashi had not expected her to show up with Bokuto in tow, the library door banging loudly behind the two. Akaashi does not let the banter interrupt his reading. He's become really good at adapting to high levels of decibels during his year with Bokuto. He couldn't say the same for quidditch matches or for Madam Pince.

"Miss Akira, Mister Bokuto!" Madam Pince hollers. "Out! Out! The two of you are driving me mad!"

"I've never been kicked out of a library before!" Bokuto says the moment the two of you exit the library. You tell him that you don't think it is something that he should be proud of.

"Where else have you been kicked out from?"

The two of you are meandering around the hallways, free-walking with no particular destination in mind. There are not a lot of people out and about in the hallways, as most of them have likely retreated to their common rooms or outside.

"The local cafe in my town, my brother's room, and the bar!" Bokuto speaks of his every action with pride, wide smile expanding outwards, radiating everything around him. The third year was full of energy. Perhaps Semi should spend a day with Bokuto. Then again, Semi would probably get irritated half way and leave Bokuto in a ditch somewhere. You hoped now that Semi was thirteen, he had grown up a little bit. But he was a teenager, and from all the television shows that you consumed, the teenage years were the prime years of angst, agony, and self-doubt. It would mean more back pats and tissues that you had to offer. You hoped that whatever forces that move time forward will be kind to your teenage years. Thirteen is looming just ahead of you, and by the end of this year, you'd become a teenager yourself. You wonder what kind of transformation you will go through? Maybe this is the year where you will become Sailor Akira, protector of good jokes gone unappreciated.

"There's a really fun first year in my house! His name is Hinata - and he says that I'm his hero!" Bokuto talks fast, barely catching a breath between his words. "He says my moves are the best on the pitch!"

"Please don't disappoint your kouhai." You say, begrudgingly thinking about Semi and the box of tissues. You swear the prices of tissues have risen because of your Semi-senpai. Maybe it was a part of his teenage transformation? You wonder how many months of emotional breakdowns he will have to endure before came out of the chrysalis. You picture a pink butterfly with Semi's head crudely pasted on it. It was not the most fitting picture. 

Come to think of it - Bokuto had his emotional breakdowns too. Though it was less of a breakdown but more of a quiet, unraveling, deflation. Was this a common thing among teenage boys? You'd have to consult Ohira about it - he seemed to be the most stable of the third years. You hoped it was just a Semi and Bokuto thing, because the last thing you need is another wailing Hufflepuff banging on your door.

"My kouhai can depend on me for anything! Because I'm his hero!" Bokuto says proudly. You chuckle. Bokuto would belong pretty well in one of those marvel movies. He was golden to be a part of this insane world. The city is going to break his heart.

"Hey Akira?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Akaashi close?"

You think for a moment. "We're friends but I don't think we're that close."

"Oh."

"Why do you sound disappointed?" You watch his shoulders droop a little, before they push back up again. Bokuto flashes you a smile and says it's nothing.

────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────

"I really missed you a lot, you know." Ame says. "We should exchange letters next year."

"That's a good idea. Keiji could hang out with Bernard." They’d be good owls in crime." You set down your pen, and blow on the parchment. When the ink dries, you fold up your letter and tuck it in the envelope. The neatest thing about owl post was that no postage was required when sending between friends. It helped with the little money that you had. When it came to purchasing sweets, you'd usually get Oikawa to buy them for you. In exchange, you'd buy him some alien upas - it was part of the vending machine's collector items. Come to think of it, it's been a while since you'd properly tormented the bloke. 

You slide open your drawer, and take out a tiny box. You toss it to Ame. Ame, who is lying on her stomach filing her nails, is caught off guard when the box narrowly misses her chin. 

"...Catch." You say. 

"What's this?" Ame eyes the box before picking it up. "It's not a bomb, is it?"

"Never. You might be the only one in the school that I won't prank. Open it." 

"...Is this a fake proposal?" Ame says skeptically as she picks up the small piece of jewelry. It is the plebian version of Ame's fancy soulmate ring. The shank is made of a silver material, and a blue gem is embedded on the prong of the ring. It is in the shape of a heart. You think it's a pretty good win from the gacha machine. 

"Apparently the colors shift depending on your body temperature. According to mood ring lore, each color represents a different emotion or feeling. I thought it might be fun if you were to wear both rings and see what colors they are. Maybe it'll help you find your soulmate. Like, if you are fighting with this dude. You're angry, he's angry. If both rings flash red, it may be a sign. But red can also mean passionate, nervous, or adventurous. Personally, I'd have adventurous as a fun yellow color, fitting of a good Hufflepuff." 

Ame slips the ring on. "Since when did your logic become so reasonable?" 

You hop onto Ame's bed, and look at the mood ring. The blue slowly melts into the background, and a golden yellow emerges. "What does this color mean?" 

"Hm.." You take out the folded pamphlet inside the box and open it up. "Hopeful, edgy, and a void space cadet." 

"No." Ame mouths, horrified. 

"Yes." You insist. "The mood ring does not lie. 99% of the time.”  
Ame stares at you. You feel a bit pressured. "Fine, 92% of the time. It's still pretty accurate though." 

"Would you be happy with a 92 on your Transfiguration test?" 

"Those are two completely unrelated things!" You protest, flustered. "Let's not talk about my miserable grades." 

You clamber out of Ame's bed to your own. You settle down in the blankets, your back melting into the mattress. "Guard that ring with your life. It's a limited edition." 

See? You were a nice person after all. 

"[Y/N]-chii?" 

"Yep?" 

"You never managed to find your archenemy last year, did you?"

"I think I may have. This year." You reply. "His name is Moon Island."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [hacking the space](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29420070) by [Amizore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amizore/pseuds/Amizore)




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